An East Cowes man who tormented his local Isle of Wight councillor has been handed a 12-month restraining order.
Simon Paul Wheeler, of Albany Road, was sentenced at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court today (Monday) after he was found guilty of using threatening, abusive and insulting words with intent to cause fear of unlawful violence towards Cllr Karl Love.
Holding a wooden pole, calling Cllr Love “Mr C**t” to a passerby and saying “I’m going to have some fun”, Wheeler stepped into the path of the councillor, who was driving his Tuk Tuk through East Cowes.
The case went to trial in July after Wheeler pleaded not guilty to the unprovoked attack but magistrates said he had ‘provided a catalogue of lies and deceit’ and his evidence was ‘less credible’ than Cllr Love’s.
The incident happened in April and during the trial Cllr Love said he feared he was going to be hit with the pole.
Speaking at the sentencing, James Cameron, defending, said Wheeler did not accept the conviction but, having gone through the grounds of conviction with him, he did not think there were any grounds to reject it.
Mr Cameron said while Wheeler accepted what he did, and he made a bad decision, he incorrectly thought it would be seen as a joke.
He said:
“He has not dealt with this situation very well and because of that he has caused fear to the other person.”
Suffering with bipolar disorder, post traumatic stress disorder and blackouts, Mr Cameron said he had advised Wheeler to see his doctor as it was a ‘bizarre offence’ and ‘out of the ordinary.’
Having read the pre-sentencing report, magistrate Keith Jones said:
“You indicated that it was all a bit of a laugh at the time, but it wasn’t, was it? It was very offensive what you were doing.”
Mr Jones said it was very threatening and appalling, abusive behaviour towards Cllr Love, who was only going about his business, while also offensive to all those present.
The restraining order told Wheeler to have no contact, direct or indirectly, with Cllr Love and to not go to Old Road, East Cowes.
When handed the sentence Wheeler, who has two previous convictions, said: “That’s fair enough.”
He was also fined £300, ordered to pay a surcharge of £34 and prosecution costs of £680.
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