A lawyer has been issued with a restraining order after pleading guilty to harassment charges stemming from threats he made to his landlords.
A lawyer has been issued with a restraining order after a court heard he 'howled' threats at his landlords in the night at their 11-acre country estate. Father-of-three James Roden, 53, screamed and shouted outside the mansion of property tycoon David Lee and his wife, Dr Svetlana Atkinson, after he fell behind on his £3,500-a-month rent of a cottage on their Cheshire complex.
Over a two week period Roden, who was formerly an equity partner at a Manchester law firm, was heard screaming in the early hours and set off security lights by walking close to the home of the couple, magistrates heard. The court heard he sent a message to Mr Lee at 2am saying he had 'had enough' and also kept watch on the mansion house in Wilmslow. On one night, Mr Lee and Dr Atkinson opened the blinds of their windows to find Roden shouting 'I will get you and I will find you' at them from outside, it was said. Magistrates heard Mr Lee suffered with high blood pressure due to stress and worry. Dr Atkinson had to take time off work from her surgery due to sleepless nights. It was claimed Roden refused to move out of the three-bedroomed cottage. Magistrates heard he failed to pay gardeners, cleaners and utility companies, and incurred £16,250 in unpaid bills. He later moved into a Premier Inn at Manchester Airport. At Crewe magistrates court Roden, who gave his address as the Stanneylands Hotel in Wilmslow, pleaded guilty to two charges of harassment and was banned from contacting Mr Lee and Dr Atkinson for two years under the terms of the restraining order. He was also sentenced to a 12-month community order with a requirement he attends up to 20 days of rehabilitation activity; fined £1,000; ordered to pay £199 in costs and a victim surcharge and pay £2,000 each in compensation to Mr Lee and Dr Atkinson. The court heard problems began when he failed to pay his rent. He was said to have started to harass the couple after he was pressed for payment in May last year. Tara Thomas, prosecuting, said: 'The nature of the harassment is that the defendant has shouted threats towards both complainants and walked close to their address during the evenings, which has set off the security lights on the grounds. “The defendant has shouted and howled during those evenings. The victims note they have lived in some fear given that he has been threatening to them and abusive to them. This caused a disturbance, disrupting their sleep, given that most of the behaviour was in the early hours of the morning.' In a statement Dr Atkinson said they had 'lived in fear'. 'Mr Roden did not pay the gardeners, cleaners or utility bills and was behind on the rent. He even refused to move out when the lease expired,' she said. Roden gave no comment in police interview. The court heard he subsequently paid what he owed to the couple. His lawyer, John Wright, said in mitigation: 'He is divorced and currently living in temporary accommodation, paying £3,000 per month. He also pays for around £2,000 per month child maintenance as well. He has considerable outgoings and there is a view to getting more stable accommodation. “He is somebody who is extremely respectful, extremely articulate and polite. He is very easy to deal with. In May and June of last year, he was using alcohol as a coping mechanism. He always drank socially with work and social meetings with customers and clients but during this period he went beyond that. He is not drinking anything like that now. ''The threats he made would have been taken seriously by the complainants - but they were hollow as far as he was concerned. It was an isolated incident and there is no suggestion that there has been anything since. It is clear from the report that his remorse is clear. He expresses shame and regret about the incident. He is really ashamed.' Roden himself spoke from the dock to tell JPs: 'I am sorry to have troubled you - I stress my remorse.
HARASSMENT LAWYER RESTRAINING ORDER THREATS LANDLORDS
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Jay-Z's Lawyer Scolding From Judge in Rape CaseA New York judge has criticized Jay-Z's lawyer for using an 'aggressive strategy' in a rape case involving the rapper. Judge Analisa Torres denied Jay-Z's lawyer's request to remove the anonymity of the alleged victim, who can remain identified as Jane Doe. The judge also accused the lawyer of making 'inflammatory language' and 'ad hominem attacks' against the accuser's lawyer.
Read more »
Father Jailed for Threatening Far-Right Protesters with AK-47A Birmingham father was sentenced to 27 months in prison for threatening far-right protesters online with a decommissioned AK-47 assault rifle.
Read more »
Masked Man Jailed for Threatening Tommy Robinson with Fake AK-47A 49-year-old man, Habeeb Khan, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for making death threats against Tommy Robinson in a video posted online. Khan, who can be seen wielding a fake AK-47 in the video, targeted the English Defence League leader.
Read more »
Father jailed over video threatening to 'blow away' far-right protestors with decommissioned AK-47 during...A married father who threatened far-right protesters while holding a decommissioned AK-47 assault rifle on social media has been jailed for 27 months.
Read more »
Man Jailed for Threatening Video Featuring Decommissioned RifleHabeeb Khan, 49, filmed a video in his living room holding a decommissioned rifle and making threats against the English Defence League. The video went viral on far-right social media platforms, prompting Khan's arrest and a jail sentence of 27 months.
Read more »
Father Jailed for Threatening EDL with Decommissioned AK-47Habeeb Khan, a father from Birmingham, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for posting a video online in which he threatened the English Defence League (EDL) with a decommissioned AK-47 assault rifle. The video, filmed during a period of heightened civil unrest, was widely shared on social media, attracting millions of views.
Read more »