Telford death threats man, 20, avoids prison again
A Telford man who assaulted a police officer, resisted arrest and threatened to kill his girlfriend's parents while on a suspended prison sentence for a sex offence has again been spared jail.
Adam Shephard was told by a crown court judge that he was "lucky" not to be sent to prison.
Shephard was in the dock after standing outside the house of his girlfriend's parents and shouting that he would kill them after they refused to let him see her following a row, Shrewsbury Crown Court was told.
Mr Robert James Edwards, prosecuting, said Shephard had struggled and kicked an officer as he was arrested outside the house and then attempted to headbutt police before being tackled to the ground.
The 20-year-old pleaded guilty to the offences at Telford Magistrates Court on May 11, but was sent to Shrewsbury Crown Court for breaching a suspended prison sentence.
Shephard, of Gittens Drive, Aqueduct, had been sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years, on December 11, 2013 for one count of theft and having sex with a 14-year-old girl.
Recorder Stephen Thomas said, after hearing defence submissions and reading a letter from Shephard, that the defendant was "on the cusp of turning the corner" regarding his behaviour.
"Consider yourself lucky I have not activated a custodial sentence today," he said.
Recorder Thomas described the offences as "serious" and "disgraceful".
He ordered that Shephard carry out a total of 250 hours of unpaid work: 100 hours for the threatening words and behaviour, and two sets of 75 hours for assaulting and resisting police.
He also increased the supervision period Shepard was already serving for the theft and unlawful sex to two years and ordered him to pay £100 costs.
For Shephard, Mr John Hedgecoe said his client had "acquired a sufficient degree of maturity, albeit late in the day". He said that Shephard was complying with the probation service and was now in full-time work.
"There seems to have been a sea change in him. He's taking the positive steps he can to redeem his position," he added.
Mr Hedgecoe said that both the defendant and his partner, who is expecting a baby in December, had "powerful ideas about what they wanted to do in the future".
"If that's the case, this court or any other is not going to have to worry about seeing this man again," he said.
He added that Shephard "clearly had a problem with authority in the past" and had "not had the best start in life".
