Man breached a court order by visiting his gran’s Whitburn home twice in five days
A man struggling with the death of his mum breached a court order by visiting his gran at her South Tyneside home twice in five days, a court heard.
Reece Miller, 21, was prohibited from going to her property in Whitburn, under the terms of a year-long non-molestation order.
But homeless Miller breached that requirement on Tuesday, January 27, and Saturday, January 31, prosecutor Paul Anderson said.
He did so after his grandmother put out a message encouraging him to call, despite the order being granted in her favour and banning such contact.
At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, he pleaded guilty to two counts of breach of a non-molestation order.
The court was told he had spent three days in custody – the rough equivalent of a week’s jail term – waiting for his case to be heard.
Mr Anderson said: “He’s the grandson of the victim. There’s a non-molestation order in place.
“He’s not allowed to go to the address or use any violence against her. It runs out in May of this year. The grandmother is a medium risk victim in these circumstances.
“She's concerned, she says, that his mother passed away on October 7, very sadly, and that’s had a negative impact on him, and he has struggled with that.
“As a last resort, she has asked the police to attend and has said that she doesn’t want this matter to proceed and doesn’t want a restraining order.
“The order only has about three months to run. If the lady wants it lifted, I think she’ll have to go back to the family court.”
David Forrester, defending, said the guilty pleas were entered on a basis that he was not prepared to fully disclose in open court.
But he insisted there was much that Miller would like to challenge about the evidence against him.
Mr Forrester added: “His partner, the mother of his child, has shown me messages. The gran has put out an open message asking him to contact her.
“He does accept that he knew that he shouldn’t be talking to his gran and that he shouldn’t be at the property.
“I’m told his gran is not supportive of the prosecution. I’m aware that he was arrested at 2.44pm on Friday.
“He missed the Saturday court and has been in custody for three days.”
District Judge Zoe Passfield fined Miller £120, with £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.
She told him she could deal with him “so leniently” because he had spent so long in custody ahead of his court hearing.
The judge said: “I’ve taken account of the circumstances as to why this happened, but it can’t happen again. This order is still in place until May.
“If you are invited by your grandmother to go to her house, you must not go, otherwise you’ll find yourself back in court and that will be a prison sentence.”
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