A Bristol man told a bike shop worker he would ‘smash his face in’ because he wasn’t happy with the repair job on his scooter.
Mitchell Parker, 26, of Broadstone Walk in Hartcliffe, made a threatening phone call to the manager at Pure Electric on Union Street, once he had received his scooter back after being fixed at the shop.
Unhappy with the repair job, Parker told the manager: “I will follow you home and batter you and your little mate behind the till.
“I will smash your f***ing face in, make sure you’re looking over your shoulder 24/7.”
Yesterday (March 18) at Bristol Magistrates' Court, Parker’s defence Billy Olaniyi told the court that Parker is the main carer of his two children, aged 8 and 9, as Parker’s partner, who is pregnant, works full time.
Not satisfied with Mr Olaniyi’s comments, Judge Lynne Matthews told Mr Olaniyi “plenty of single women cope” with looking after children and doing the school runs. She told Mr Olaniyi to “mitigate on a different theme.”
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The court heard a victim statement from the manager, who said as a result of Parker’s threats: “I felt nervous and worried about opening up and closing down the shop on my own.
“I asked another member of staff to wait with me because I’m concerned he’ll carry out his threat.”
Judge Matthews told Parker that because of his threats people at the shop were really worried for their safety, as there was a belief he might carry out the threats.
Judge Matthews took Parker’s previous ‘violent behaviour’ into account and deemed his actions a category 2 offence.
Parker, given credit for his guilty plea, was sentenced to a six-week prison sentence suspended for ten months.
He was also given 100 hours of unpaid work and up to 10 days rehabilitation activity requirements.
Parker will also have to pay £120 to his victim in compensation, and has been prohibited from entering Pure Electric for two years.
