Community order for man who lip-synched threatening message from Taken
A man who sent a message of himself lip-syncing to a threatening speech from a Hollywood blockbuster has been given a community order by magistrates.
Simon Wood, 26, used a phone app to send a message which copied a pivotal line in the film Taken which is delivered by actor Liam Neeson.
His solicitor, Mike Surzyn, said the choice of the speech in which Neeson tells a kidnapper he has "a very particular set of skills" before adding "I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you" was: "The most badly phrased, badly thought out joke you could imagine."
Mr Surzyn said the message needed to be taken in the context of two people who knew each other very well, and did not sound very good when read out in a court room.
"It looks stupid beyond stupid, but he never meant it in that way. He would have been better choosing something from Walt Disney," said Mr Surzyn.
Wood, of Wedgewood Crescent, Ketley, Telford admitted one charge of sending obscene or malicious communications and a charge of assault by beating, at a previous occasion when he appeared before magistrates.
The Taken message was one of several sent by the defendant while he was on bail not to contact his ex-girlfriend after he attacked her in their home in Telford, the court was told.
Mr Surzyn said that 99 per cent of the communications from Wood was "I love you" and "I want you back".
For the assault, Wood was sentenced to a 12-month community order including 12 months of supervision. He was fined £100 and ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and prosecution costs of £85.
Magistrates gave him a 12-month conditional discharge and £85 costs for the malicious message.
Mr Mike Phillips, prosecuting, said that Wood and his former partner had become involved in a row at their home, during which he had beaten her around the head and thrown a used nappy at her.
The court was told that Wood assaulted his girlfriend by slapping her several times with "stinging" blows to her head during the attack on January 3.
Wood's former girlfriend eventually escaped and drove to her mother's house before calling the police.
Mr Phillips said that Wood had continued to send his girlfriend messages by SMS and on Whatsapp, despite arrangements no to contact her.
At one point he told her "I'm the only one who can get into trouble for texting you or phoning you."
Most of the messages were apologetic, however on January 16 Wood sent the Taken message.
For Wood, Mr Surzyn added that the defendant had lost his job in construction as a result of his arrest, as he had been due to drive staff to a site.
He added that Wood, who had no previous convictions was "extremely remorseful"
