April 6, 2017

Blackmail accused suspended sentence

 

A Cannock man who sent a series of menacing messages to his estranged wife and new partner narrowly escaped a lengthy custodial sentence after a judge was persuaded to impose a suspended sentence.

The man used a series of social media forums including Facebook live to send the threatening messages.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to sending malicious communications, blackmail and threatening behaviour and appeared before Stafford Crown Court on the 06 April 2017 for sentence.

The court heard that the defendant became angry after he discovered the new relationship and began to send a series of messages.

There followed a demand for payment of £5000 or serious consequences would follow.  Included within the threats were menacing references to firearms and bullets and pictures of a firearm posted on social media.

The defendant, represented by Mark Nicholls agreed that he had sent the messages and accepted his actions would be construed as both menacing and upsetting.

Mitigation was advanced on behalf of the defendant that the judge did not have to impose an immediate term of imprisonment.

As part of the case preparation, background information had been obtained and presented to the court during the sentencing hearing.

It was as a direct result of that information that the judge commented during the delivery of the sentence that he had been persuaded not to impose an immediate term of imprisonment due to the mitigation presented to him.

A suspended sentence for 2 years was imposed.