Help please - Section 4a of the Public Order Act

[Afu]

I am an idiot! I have been charged with Section 4a of the Public Order Act and I need to appear in Manchester Court in 2 weeks.

The event happened about 2 months ago.

I am gardener with my own business and I had a problem with a customer who had recently had a stroke and he was not happy with my work. I went around to see him and all though he had paid me for labour time, I wasnt happy and in front of 4 witnesses I threatned him 3 times and told him I would be back to burn down his house and other properties and I would come back with a gang of lads and break in and do this.

I didnt know it at the time but he called the police. When then interviewed me I denied it and made up a story of that I meant that I would get a gang of lads to take goods etc on the second inteview I denied it again and they charged me. My mate was also with me at the time who also heard this wont get involved and I wont give his name.

I intent to plead not guilty but I dont have any solictor yet. What is the best outcome and should I plea not guilty or not as I think the courts could get busy or reduce the charge and I think at best I will just get a fine?

I hate to lose at anything!

[Afu]

thanks....for your opinion...really maybe others can advise?

[Afu]

maybe others will have a different opinion....I have been told that at best I would get a fine?

[brenda]

I think that you will get a short custodial , suspended and a fine.

What you did was pretty scary and I think you could reckon on this being an end to your gardening business.News travels pretty quickly , and ask yourself , would you employ a potential arsonist to cut your grass.


Get real.

[ummmm]

Are you serious?

[Afu]

thanks but I think I have this wrapped up anyway as alway I need to change it is the name on the van and any payments were made to my own name and not the name of the company. Self empoyed has its anvatages.

so far it looks like a fine anwyay...:)

[brenda]

Well

I am sure we are all delighted for you, that in your own mind it is sorted . Do let us know the outcome., we await with bated breath.

[Jemisa]

I've just stumbled upon this trawling through the AB. Makes interesting reading. I can't give any advice or help but I would be interested in the final outcome.
Its a bit like a case on "Crown Court" on TV.

I can see you are genuinly sorry, if you express this to the judge he will normally take it into consideration.
Good Luck

J

[Afu]

Ok. I had met with the guy a few days earler and the project had one day to go and I tried to get the men to work but the customer wanted to talk about it which ended up with me working out that it would be an extra 4 days work and told me that he could considering it.

On the day of the event I asked firstly for my shovels back and asked for the money owed but unknown to me he had worked out how much this was and told me to check my account and write or come back if I had any dispute but I didnt believe him and demanded that he pays me immediatly which I wan't going to do. This is when I noticed that the other contractor was there in the garage and the guys wife turned up in a taxi and they all heard me threatining the customer and wasnt expepecting them all to be there or the customer to stand his ground like that but he owed me money which I thought I would never get it. I dont provide invoices so there is no proof that he paid me anything previously anyway.

If this is a finable offence I just need to know if this is �100 or �1000 or what is the worse I can get?

[lizzydrippin]

Hey don't worry yourself at all about getting a big fine, you'll go to prison for this without a doubt!!

[Afu]

is this the extent of your 'legal' experience?

Somehow I think they will see this at best that I angry and I had a right to be as the guy wouldn't cough up the money he owed me and I would be right to even take goods off his premises if he didnt pay. Customers cant just think that because they are some how unhappy that they have a right to withhold payments.

I am a business owner and need to pay bills like everyone else and they will also see that I provide these services to OAP's and those on the dole with discounts for these people to these is no way they can impose a prison sentence and as I work in the garding business they cant give me a community sentence so I expect at best a fine. They dont sent people to jail for this type of dispute with customers!

[Afu]

a solicitor could even argue that this is a civil matter and not a criminal offence.

[lizzydrippin]

You seriously need a reality check. How on earth can you think its not a criminal offence to threaten and verbally abuse someone? I get the feeling from what you write that you have no remorse for anything you said or did that day, you seem to be more interested in how you're going to get off with it than having any concern for this man you've intimidated. There's one thing threatening to take him to court if you feel that he owes you money, but to threaten burning his house down is diabolical and the courts take threats of arson very seriously as you'll no doubt discover when you go to court. Your attitude stinks and regardless of what happens at your court hearing, remember what goes around comes around.

[Afu]

Nothing you say has any relevance to 'real' life as people dont go to jail for an argument between me or a customer...its not like an a thug or anything...and nothing about the section I am being charged with and any experiance or knowledege of what people can get for this type of offence.