Beechwood man, 67, in ASBO breach gets suspended sentence

Nov 19 2008 by Sue McCann, Birkenhead News

A 67-YEAR-OLD man has been given a six-month suspended prison sentence for breaching an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

Action was originally taken against John Jones, of Ballantyne Drive, Bidston, following an incident on June 9 when he was heard to have been in the road outside his house and threatened to stab and shoot residents and nearby children attending Ballantyne Community Centre.

Jones, who was in a wheelchair, also pulled a knife from his shorts, shouting further threats.

An application was made by Wirral Anti-Social Behaviour Team on behalf of Jones’ landlord, Beechwood & Ballantyne Community Housing Association, and on June 24 a two-year Anti-Social Behaviour injunction was issued against him.

Evidence was subsequently brought to the Anti-Social Behaviour Team’s attention that Jones had been subjecting his former care worker to threatening and harassing telephone calls, following her decision to cease being his carer at the beginning of August.

This behaviour breached the terms of the injunction issued against him and proceedings were issued.

A hearing was held at Birkenhead County Court during which Jones denied the allegations made against him.

On November 5, Jones was allegedly found in possession of two kitchen knives in Beechwood and arrested. He was also allegedly shouting foul verbal abuse to members of the public. It was also found that Jones had previously breached the injunction on September 12 by threatening a man in Ballantyne Drive.

At Birkenhead County Court the following day, Jones admitted to six breaches of the injunction and he was sentenced to a total of six months’ imprisonment, suspended until June 23, 2010.