56-year-old Simon Wheeler, who turned up at a town council meeting in the presence of an Isle of Wight Councillor he was banned from being in contact with, has been found guilty of deliberately breaching a restraining order.
Wheeler, of Albany Road in East Cowes, was also found guilty by the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday) of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
The offences occurred in February and March last year when he approached Councillor Karl Love on East Cowes Esplanade and then attended a public meeting where the Isle of Wight councillor was present.
Magistrates determined this was in breach of a restraining order issued to Wheeler in August 2021 following another incident with Cllr Love, where Wheeler had been ordered to have no direct or indirect contact with Cllr Love for 12 months.
At a trial today, Cllr Love told magistrates he was walking his dog along the Esplanade and had stopped to look at some flood damage when Wheeler, started coming towards him shouting. He told Wheeler to go away and leave him alone, as he was making him nervous.
Wheeler alleged the councillor was provoking him by looking in his garden and had told him to “F*** off”, and said he did not say anything to Cllr Love.
The 2nd incident occurred at a public meeting where the Norris Castle planning application was being discussed. Wheeler argued he had a right to be at the meeting as his properties could be affected by the knock-on effect of development.
Cllr Love said it made him feel very shaky and nervous as Wheeler was asked to leave by numerous people and started shouting.
During the ‘scuffle’, Cllr Love said Wheeler shouted, looking directly at him, that he had called him a ‘F***ing C***’, in the presence of agitated members of the public and children.
While giving evidence, Cllr Love said he just wanted Wheeler to leave him alone and stay away from him.
Simon Moger, representing Wheeler, said Wheeler did not try to engage, speak with or contact Cllr Love at the meeting.
Ann Smout, prosecuting, said Wheeler changed his story in the witness box on what he understood of his restraining order and his evidence was not credible.
Finding Wheeler guilty, Magistrates said that he deliberately breached his restraining order and caused a disturbance by his refusal to leave. They said his actions clearly caused some alarm and distress, upsetting the public around him
Wheeler will be sentenced on 31st March after a pre-sentence probation report is completed. He has been told all sentencing options remain open.
An application has been made for another restraining order to be put in place as the previous one has now lapsed.
How many of us feel threatened, abused and harassed by the council and its rotten tax? Come the revolution……..
It sounds like Mr Love needs to man up.
I suspect that Mr Love is not entirely blameless either. This case should not have proceeded.