Coleshill Man Has Court Fines and Costs Doubled After Losing Appeal at Crown Court
Gary Stevenson, aged 56 of Coleshill, was originally found guilty at Leamington Magistrates Court on 16th March 2018, of 2 counts of taking down safety measures (road works) which relate to incidents on the 13th and 14th February 2017 on Lichfield Road, Coleshill. He was also found guilty of using threatening abusive insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause fear of violence. This rel…ates to the 7th May 2017, when he was threatening towards a PCSO and Police Constable, who attended his farm on Coventry Road, to invite him in for a voluntary interview. Mr Stevenson was threatening towards officers, which included punching the window of a police car. In relation to the public order offence, the magistrates ordered Mr Stevenson to pay a fine of £180, court costs of £740 and a victim surcharge of £30. There was no separate penalty for the road works offences.
Mr Stevenson appealed his Magistrates Court conviction and an appeal hearing took place at Coventry Crown Court on 8th June 2018. Mr Stevenson failed to attend the hearing and the appeal was heard in his absence. All witnesses gave evidence again and His Honour Judge P Gregory dismissed Mr Stevenson’s appeal and ordered Mr Stevenson to pay a further £520 in court costs and fines totalling £500 for the two road works offences. In summing up, His Honour stated that Mr Stevenson went on an orgy of destruction when he dismantled the road works on three separate occasions in February last year and that his actions were dangerous, disgraceful and could have caused an accident. His Honour went on to say that in relation to the public order offence, it was clear that Mr Stevenson was clearly apoplectic with rage and sought PC Bell and PCSO Marshall to be in fear of immediate and unlawful violence.
Warwickshire Police would like to thank the two members of the public who attended court on two separate occasions to give evidence. Road works are set up by qualified persons and are there to protect all road users from hazards and should never be interfered with. This case shows that we will seek to bring any offenders to justice and refuse to be intimidated by aggressive and threatening behaviour towards officers and staff.