A man who breached his suspended sentence for the 2nd time has avoided being sent to prison.
Terry Lewis, 62, of Avenue Road in Sandown, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly, assault of an emergency worker and possession of a Class B drug (cannabis) when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court this morning (Friday).
Siobhan Oxley, prosecuting, told the court that on the day of 29th October, Lewis – who had been drinking a large amount of alcohol – was trying to enter his mother’s address on Westwood Road in Ryde despite being told the day before that he was no longer welcome at the address.
Police were called and Lewis was arrested and taken to Newport Police Station.
When he was being escorted through the station Lewis became agitated, being verbally and physically abusive and pushing 1 of the detaining officers in the chest. During a search it was found that Lewis had a quantity of cannabis in his possession.
Defending, Amy Hosell said that her client doesn’t remember anything that happened and that he accepted he wasn’t the same person when drunk. She also added that Lewis’ life had gone downhill since the sudden death of his wife by suicide a few years ago and that he was living in his car for a long period.
Lewis has 3 previous convictions, all since the loss of his wife, 1 of which was for assaulting an emergency worker outside the same address in Ryde in 2021.
A support worker from a local soup kitchen said that he had seen a marked improvement in Lewis’ behaviour since he arrived there on 1st November.
The court heard that Lewis was in breach of a suspended sentence that was imposed in September 2021 for the 2nd time and was told by the bench that custody was a real possibility this time around.
In an address to the Magistrates himself, Lewis said that on the date of these offences he had 1 thing on his mind – to die.
After lengthy deliberations, Magistrates handed Terry Lewis a new 12-month community order with 20 rehabilitation days. Lewis was also ordered to be put on an alcohol abstinence tag for a total of 120 days.
Lewis’ suspended sentence is to be in effect until the 18th March.
Give him a lobotomy,that will sort him out.
I reckon some off these judges are smoking the evidence before they dish out punishments
It would seem another person is being let down my the mental health system I can’t imagine what it must be like losing a loved one to suicide hope he gets the help he needs.
Yeah, seems like the guy’s life has fallen apart.
Been there myself, different circumstances but similar situation. You, literally, don’t care what happens to you. not exactly suicidal but couldn’t care less whether you live or die.
Guy needs help, not locking up.
What’s the point of a suspended sentence if it’s not going to be implemented?
Precisely, these so called suspended sentences mean absolutely nothing to the useless magistrates we have on the island. They seem hell bent on keeping every available piece of scum on the streets, putting the general public in constant danger. It is time for a wholesale clear out of the magistrates and some competent ones who want to protect the public put in place.
Smoke weed every day
Other odd ball great
like many of us, he probably just needs a good woman in his life to keep him sorted out, lots of men would be useless without a good woman beside them, and i include myself in that.
So the judges are getting as lazy as the police now.
He lost his wife to suicide all the problems have happened since that he needs mental health support what is locking him in jail going to do.