Man threatened council staff with car
A disabled veteran who completed 22 years service in the army threatened to drive his car into the foyer of a Powys County Council office after an accommodation row.
Christopher McGuire told the head of Powys County Council’s housing department that he would take no responsibility for the people in the Gwalia, Llandrindod Wells.
The 47 year-old of Montpellier Way had been living at the Commodore Hotel and the council told him that he would have to leave over the weekend of August 31.
He was originally charged with threatening behaviour, which he denied, but McGuire admitted a new charge of sending an offensive or menacing message, when he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court earlier this month.
Prosecuting, Stephen Davies said Simon Inkson, the head of Powys County Council’s housing department was asked to speak to McGuire on August 31 because he was refusing to leave the Gwalia.
Mr Inkson knew of McGuire because he had asked for housing following the breakdown of a relationship and had conducted a protest outside the Gwalia.
Repeated
On the telephone, McGuire told Mr Inkson that he believed the council had an agenda against him, that the conduct of council officers towards him had been poor and he said that if the council ended their duty of care for him on September 6 he would drive his car with force into the foyer of the Gwalia and take no responsibility for the people inside.
The call was ended and Mr Inkson reported the matter to the police. Later McGuire phoned again and repeated the threat.
In interview, McGuire said he had said the words but did not mean it and would not have carried out the threat and that he was frustrated.
Owain Jones, defending, said McGuire had made the comments to Mr Inkson not to alarm him but to cause harm to himself because at that point McGuire was prepared to harm himself. He said as soon as McGuire put the phone down, he regretted what he had said.
Magistrates gave him a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered him to pay £100 costs and a £20 surcharge.
Mr Inkson said: "The council will not tolerate people making threats against officers or council property when they are using our services. We hope that this case will remind people that they could face prosecution if they make threats against our staff or property."
