A motorist who snatched a council traffic warden’s body-worn camera after getting a parking ticket had months later ranted at him in front of passers-by at a seaside town, a court heard on Thursday.
Anton Thomas, 31, of Brookes Avenue, Rhyl, was jailed for 25 months. He admitted robbery on October 24 at Rhyl, where he had parked a car on double yellow lines, and witness intimidation in February when he was on bail.
Judge Nicola Jones said Thomas had in February, during seven minutes, repeatedly called the Denbighshire civil enforcement officer a “nonce” and filmed him on a mobile phone while the officer was with a woman colleague.
“I am sure it was terrifying for him and the person with him,” the judge remarked at Caernarfon crown court. “There were children present and the shouting was aggressive in tone and extremely threatening.”
The judge said there was remorse and Thomas had suffered “awful trauma” as a child.
A restraining order will last indefinitely.
Prosecutor Sarah Badrawy said the Denbighshire employee had come across the car in Wellington Road, Rhyl, and minutes later Thomas fled on foot with the camera. The victim wasn’t injured but he had been shaken by his ordeal.
Thomas told police he had shoulder-barged the council officer.
Camera footage was shown in court of the February offence.
Simon Killeen, defending, said Thomas had a good job and family responsibilities.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article