A WELSHPOOL man has been jailed for five months after a spate of repeated offending – including harassing his mother and threatening to cut his throat if she didn’t give him money for drugs.

Mark Windsor admitted the harassment charge at Welshpool Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May 11, although the offence pre-dates a suspended sentence order he received in March of this year.

Magistrates heard that the 34-year-old had shown an “unwillingness to cooperate” with the probation service and the community requirements of that order, including allowing himself to be electronically tagged.

He also pleaded guilty to theft in relation to stealing various items from a supermarket in Welshpool on February 22.

Prosecutor Helen Tench said the theft incident related to Windsor entering Savers in Welshpool and stealing two bottles of perfume totalling £49.98, which he said he needed to steal to sell for drugs.

The harassment charge relating to his mother happened at her Troed Y Rhiw address in Meifod on January 27.

“He went into his mother’s living room, he had been staying with her, and asked her for money,” said Mrs Tench.

“She said no and left the property. He rang her, using someone else’s phone, 11 times. He was constantly pestering her and she eventually gave in and gave him £20. He then asked for another £20. She said no so he grabbed a kitchen knife and said ‘do you want me to cut my throat’.

“She said she would give in, in order that he would leave her alone. He turns up and asks for money numerous times, leaving her feeling incredibly low and depressed.”

Julian Davies, of the probation service, told the court Windsor received a 12-week suspended sentence on March 2, an order that included a 12-week curfew, but that he had refused to make himself available to be tagged and failed to attend probation appointments.

“The order is no longer suitable and he is not suitable for a community-based punishment, so I would advise you to activate the suspended sentence order,” said Mr Davies.

Acting for the defendant, who lives in Welshpool but has been staying at his mother’s address, Robert Hanratty said: “You don’t often get reports this negative.

“There is no input from him because he has not engaged. He believes there’s an inevitability about his fate, which is indicative of his current lifestyle.

“He is a man of very low self-esteem, he has always felt a failure. He has siblings who are robust and law-abiding. He always feels he’s been left out. He causes lots of anxiety and stress to his family.

“Mark is Mark, he is her (his mother) son, for all his failings. He is very dependent on those around him. He has a Class A drug problem. His behaviour that day was demonstrative of someone who’s not well.”

Chair of the bench, Rebecca Klug, said: “This is a second breach and due to your unwillingness to cooperate we have no choice but to revoke the current order and resentence. We are sending you to prison for 20 weeks.”

Magistrates also order Windsor to pay £49.98 compensation to Savers, but otherwise ordered no separate penalty. They awarded no compensation to his mother and decided not to issue a restraining order.