A 23-year-old man who is serving a suspended sentence order has been given another ‘last chance’ – despite committing more crime.
Appearing at Swindon Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday (22 March), Corey Gunn pleaded guilty to a charge of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour in public.
Keith Ballinger, prosecuting, said police were called to reports of a disorder in Havelock Square, Swindon town centre, at around 3.40pm on 27 January this year.
A CCTV operator, based in The Brunel shopping centre, reported that Gunn was involved in a “heated exchange” with a number of people before “throwing a punch in the direction of a male”.
Neighbourhood officer PC Paul Bezzant rushed to the scene, locating the defendant in Canal Walk – where he was said to be in an “agitated state”.
In custody, he told officers that the male he attempted to assault had been “inappropriate” towards a female known to him. He accepted he had thrown a punch and been involved in the confrontation.
At the time of the offence, Gunn was three months into a 24-month suspended sentence order. He was handed an 18-week prison term for assaulting his girlfriend before spitting in the face of a stranger – an 11-year-old girl who was passing the attack on her bicycle.
The youngster told police during a video statement that she felt “frightened”. Prosecutor Charles Nightingale previously told the court that the incident had a “significant impact on her”.
Gunn, of County Road, Swindon, admitted breaching the suspended sentence order by committing a new crime.
Defending, Sam Arif, said her client became involved in an altercation with the male over concerns he had touched a female known to him in a shop.
“He sees him in the town centre, that’s what the argument was about. He told him not to go it again, that’s how the incident arises”, she said.
Adding: “I feel it would be unjust to activate his sentence, he is making good progress on the current suspended sentence order. He is not in breach and is attending all the appointments.
“He is sick of being in and out of the courts. He was to move on and change his life.”
The court heard that Gunn is drinking more responsibly, working hard with the probation service, undergoing an autism assessment, has secured a studio flat and is looking for employment.
Magistrates decided not to activate his suspended sentence. Instead, he was fined £50 and given an additional five rehabilitation activity requirement days on his current order.
He must pay prosecution costs of £85 and a surcharge of £34.
