Suspended sentence for man who threatened council staff
A man who was threatening and aggressive towards two council officials at a travellers’ site in Mid Wales has been spared an immediate sentence jail for a second time.
Mold Crown Court heard the officials and police had gone to the Leighton Arches site at Welshpool in October after boulders meant to secure some land were removed.
Prosecuting counsel Simon Mintz said Martin Joyce, 22, shouted to officials : “You are going to get hurt if you keep coming back here.”
Joyce insulted a woman council employee and warned the officials the police couldn’t protect them all the time.
Joyce, of Bletchley, Milton Keynes, yesterday admitted threatening behaviour. The prosecution said he had received a suspended jail term in June 2017 for handling stolen vehicles.
Judge Niclas Parry told Joyce :”This was a disgusting and disgraceful incident of public disorder, an attack on public servants carrying out their duty. You made vile sexual comments and menacing threats.”
But the judge said: ”Mercifully, this case involved verbal abuse only and was towards the very end of a suspended sentence.”
A three-months suspended prison term was imposed and Joyce must do 260 hours unpaid work. A two-year restraining order was made banning contact with the officials.
Defence counsel Andrew Green accepted it was an unpleasant offence. There were boulders and Joyce had been ordered to move his caravan. He became “frustrated” and used the words.
