A PERSISTENT offender who a magistrate said had been given a “number of chances” has been jailed.
Sentencing Michael Sefton, chairman of the magistrates bench, Adam Greenway said: “There has been deliberate, wilful and persistent breaks of your order, you have been given a number of chances by this court, therefore we have decided to activate the suspended sentence - you will go to prison for six months.”
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Emily Clewer, prosecuting, said Sefton was subject to a criminal behaviour order given to the 56-year-old in August last year.
But she told the court Sefton, of Little Priest Lane, Pershore, had 12 previous convictions, including eight previous breaches of the order.
On the latest breach, on September 14, Miss Clewer said: “He breached the order by playing music loudly, causing a nuisance, that led to neighbours being kept awake.”
The prosecutor said Sefton had shouted foul and abusive language, before police were called.
Sefton was given six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, last month after magistrates heard in that case Sefton made 12 nuisance calls to the police, and refused to leave Asda supermarket in King George Lane when staff asked him to - breaching his order.
Miss Clewer highlighted this suspended sentence, and added Sefton was also breaching a conditional discharge given to him for assaulting a paramedic.
In December last year, Sefton was also given a 12-week suspended sentence after admitting causing criminal damage and breaching a criminal behaviour order.
In that incident, he had gone on a rampage in a newsagents, ripping a magazine with his teeth and crashing his mobility scooter into a fridge.
Paul Stanley, defending, pleaded with the court to not activate the suspended sentence yesterday.
He told the court that Sefton had suffered an accident in his 20s that caused temporal lobe brain damage, life-long paralysis and the amputation of his right leg, resulting in him being wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life.
Mr Stanley said that he had told police in interview that if he had known the music was that loud, he would have put earphones in.
Mr Stanley said: “He regrets his actions that day.
“He has had no formal mental health support, he doesn’t even have a carer. He is willing to go to supported accommodation. He is worried about custody, he doesn’t want to go - but he knows he has to be punished.”
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Magistrates left the court room to deliberate on the case when it was heard at Worcester Magistrates Court. Just before returning, after 20 minutes, Sefton was told by court staff he would need to move into the dock from the back of court.
And when magistrates re-entered the court room Mr Greenway told Sefton they were activating the suspended sentence. For breaching the order he was given 12 weeks custody and for breaching the conditional discharge he was given four weeks - both to run concurrently. There were no costs issued but Sefton was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £122.
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