An Isle of Wight man who tormented his local councillor has been handed a 12-month restraining order.
Simon Paul Wheeler, of Albany Road, was sentenced at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on Monday after he was found guilty of using threatening, abusive and insulting words with intent to cause fear of unlawful violence towards Councillor 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 – who has 2 previous convictions – 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. Wheeler previously tried to tell Island Echo that he worked as a Royal Protection Officer for The Queen.
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.
Suffering with bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and blackouts, Mr Cameron said he had advised his client 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 prevents Wheeler from having any contact, direct or indirectly, with Cllr Love. Simon Wheeler is also not allowed to go to Old Road, East Cowes.
Wheeler was fined £300, ordered to pay a surcharge of £34 and prosecution costs of £680.
it is offensive that councillors approve environmental destruction by allowing houses to be built on greenland. They wonder why the residents are getting more and more annoyed by their arrogance – unless the councillors start listening to the people, then this incident is likely to be more commonplace.
This has nothing to do with karl love being a counciller …..Wheeler lives in our road and seems to try to pick on anyone he sees fit to ….especially his elderly neighbour ,who has been virtually house bound due to his threats, and has on numerous occations called for police help only to be shrugged off ,he has also been offensive to the oldest resident in the street wheeler is also an habitual drinker ,,with claims he served in the SAS..lol…naaa.,,and very narsissistic ,,could write a book about his wrongs really ..
Too many people like him about. So sick of how soft the law is on them.They often have swarms of do gooders defending them and making excuses for them while their victims are the ones made to feel like bad people for daring to complain about them. I’ve seen so much of this and experienced it myself.
Thank you for enlightening us on this utter lowlife’s behaviour.
Democratically elected councillors should not be physically threatened by their ward residents, for ANY reason. Nothing can justify that. Argument and protest – yes, of course.
He lives in Albany road East Cowes not Newport