A Newport man who verbally assaulted 2 Police officers, as well as being spotted in Church Litten park when he was told he wasn’t allowed to be there, has been handed a 7-week concurrent prison sentence.
Benjamin Charles, 32, of HMP Portland but previously of Cross Lane in Newport, appeared before Magistrates via video link on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a section 35 direction excluding a person from an area and 2x use of threatening/abusive behaviour to cause harassment alarm or distress when he appeared before the court on 19th January.
Charles Nightingale, prosecuting, explained that on 11th July 2022 Police were called to a disturbance on School Lane in Pan. Whilst at the address, Police approached Charles and another person who were sitting on a wall and asked them to leave. Upon being told to leave the area Charles called 1 Police officer a ‘f**king dyke’.
Then, on 7th August 2022, an on-duty officer approached a group of street drinkers in Newport town centre. The group of people were issued with a section 35 dispersal notice but refused the paperwork. Charles was told not to return but did so the day after, on 8th August.
Finally, on 3rd September 2022, another on-duty PCSO saw some people drinking in Newport. Charles approached the officer and told him to ‘f**k off’ calling him a ‘prick’. The 32-year-old disputed this in court on Tuesday and said he actually told the officer that he would ‘snap his jaw’.
Despite pleading guilty to the offences back in January, Charles claimed he had no idea what he had pleaded guilty to when the charges were read out to him saying:
“these facts ain’t facts they’re wrong. didn’t know I was pleading to homophobic (sic)”.
Article continues below this advertisement
Charles was sent to prison for 28 months in February for what was described in court as a ‘serious matter’.
Defending, Barry Arnett said that his client had no real recollection of the events that took place due to his regular alcohol and drug consumption. He also added that the father of 1 was trying to turn his life around and was hoping to study on a bricklaying course.
Magistrates sentenced Charles to 7 weeks behind bars – which will be served concurrently with his existing sentence. He was also ordered to pay £154 victim surcharge.
Upon being sentenced, Charles made it immediately clear that he wished to appeal the decision. Just before the link was terminated Charles signed off by saying ‘ta ta’ and calling those in the court ‘f**king idiots’.
These ridiculous concurrent sentences should be done away with and the sentences made consecutive, filth like this will never change and as for his “bricklaying” who would ever employ him.
Totally agree. Concurrent sentences equal no sentence in the minds of the criminal.
His defence lawyers comment that he hoped to study bricklaying is a joke. As you say even if he did do this he is unemployable. He is unable to behave responsibly.
He should have been imprisoned the first time he sat on a wall, then he wouldn’t have escalated to this level of name calling.
Hoping to study to become a brick layer. There’s me hoping to win the lottery. Brick certainly suits him with a capital P!
That’s what you get when the courts give out stupidly light sentences, no respect at all!
What a loser! Waste of air
years ago, people like charles, would be seen as a “bum” and treated as such by the police who would charge him with vagrancy, as well as a good kicking for being a dick. Sadly with the hand wringing, rainbow chasers who call theirselves police officers today, as well as the lefty apologists that believe we all live in a kumbaya, back slapping utopia of unicorns and star dust offering sensitivity workshops to police – the criminals are laughing all the way to the bank.
I wonder if it’s the same Ben Charles who trolls left wing sites on the internet? As for a good kicking, that’s never been the way with decent police, only in the minds of deluded far righters.
About time judges and magistrates were made to attend “reality lessons” and then fined or dismissed if they carry on giving out pathetic sentences.
Sadly they have to follow Government guidelines. It is the Home Secretary and the government who needs to get a grip and allow much increased punishments if the judges and magistrates see the need
It’s ironic really. The guy is obviously a complete waste of a human skin and yet he is also correct about the magistrates!
32 years old but still 14 in the head. Needs his mouth washing out with bleach. Then, put him in a sack and throw him in the sea.
Definitely that’s best idea
Please don’t go clogging up the seas with these people. They’ll only wash up again.
every time, cracks me up…
Thinking about his remark of “f###ing idiots” he is actually totally right. The majority of judges and magistrates who sit on the Island appear to live in cloud cuckoo land and believe that the pathetic sentences that they hand out to cretins like this are adequate.
The last thing you probably want to give him are bricks.
Pair of bricks would sort out his attitude if applied correctly.
One of lifes wasters. No use to society. A drain on it and tax payers. Shame he couldn’t be shipped off somewhere remote with all the other wasters. He’s the fu*king idiot.
spiderman meme……..
far to many of these oxygen thieves roaming around the Island, clean up the streets of these, idiots. Why seek an excuse of drink and drugs Were they held down and forced to drink or consume drugs ? No on benefits and spending everyone else’s money
Think the only use for these people would be for experimental treatments. Save the actual rats mice etc and use the human rats in prison.
So many drains on society
Language a bit strong. But his appraisal of the Judges and there pathetic sentencing accurate.
Magistrates should have doubled his sentence for contempt of court
Lol! Hardly a criminal mastermind, is he? Victim surcharge?! Think the police need to ‘grow a pair’ I hope the police donate that money to a worthy cause
It goes in the pot for victims , not the Police