Telford man who smashed car window with baseball bat told he faces two years in jail
A Telford man who swung a baseball bat “with screws sticking out like some medieval instrument” and smashed a car window, has been told he is facing a prison term.
Thomas J Christopher Lee of Wellsfield in Brookside swung the baseball bat at the victim's car on August 8.
The 23-year-old had told police that he had smashed the vehicle's window after it had been driven at him, but he had admitted criminal damage and possession of the baseball bat in a public place when he appeared at Telford Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
District Judge Kevin Grego said there were “two different sides to the story”.
“The victim said as he drove into the street he [Lee] has swung the bat and hit the window causing it to smash. He stopped the car, got out, told Lee to put the weapon down and he has walked away” he said. “The nature of the evidence is such that it was a highly dangerous weapon and the offending arises in circumstances that would provoke disorder.”
He added that despite Lee being of “previous good character" he was facing a "starting point" of two and a half years imprisonment for the offence, which was "beyond my sentencing powers".
He sent Lee to Shrewsbury Crown Court to be sentenced at a date to be confirmed.