Terry Hunt Avoids Prison

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Terry Hunt Avoids Prison

A father has narrowly escaped jail for harassing his ex-wife's sister, in vain attempts to see his own children.
Terry Hunt has been kept from his children since he split from his wife four years ago.
Hunt, who appeared in court on the day of his eldest daughter's 14th birthday, complained to magistrates he could not even wish her happy birthday.
It was revealed that he: * Made a throat-slitting gesture at Linda Murphy.
* Ranted at Mr Murphy on the phone while parked outside his house.
* Threatened to make a protest outside Mrs Murphy's workplace.
* Accused Mrs Murphy and husband John of kidnapping his children.
* Made hand gestures and shouted at Mrs Murphy as he pursued her in his car.
* Shouted and made aggressive gestures at her in the street.
* Sent her a letter alleging she was mentally and emotionally abusing his children because he could not see them.
Hunt, aged 45, of Chadwick, Warndon Villages, a former Fathers 4 Justice campaigner, hit the local headlines with his Spiderman protest on the roof of Worcester Crown Court in July 2004.
He was fighting for the right to see his two daughters following the collapse of his 13-year marriage four years ago.
But he appeared in ordinary clothes for sentence after he was convicted of harassment. This placed him in breach of a two-year conditional discharge handed out after the roof-top protest.
Paul Vaughan, chairman of the bench, said: "There's no doubt in our mind that those on the receiving end of your actions were indeed put in fear."
He added: "I think I should say that we do not believe that the offences pass the custodial threshold. We're not going to send you to prison today but it's a fine decision."
Gemma Goode, prosecuting, said he called his sister-in-law several times, wrote letters demanding to see his children, said he would mount a protest at her work, shouted at her and made aggressive gestures at her in the street and followed her in his car between October 31, 2003, and April 2 last year.
Apart from the community order he was given a restraining order preventing him contacting Linda Murphy or her husband John and his mother-in-law.
He must not enter Hetherington Rise, Warndon, where his mother-in-law lives or go near the home of his ex-wife's sister in Cartwright Avenue, Warndon.
Mrs Murphy, who is now taking anti-depressants, said in a statement read out by the prosecutor: "I feel embarrassed and humiliated at work. I feel increasingly anxious and vulnerable. I would just like him to leave me alone."
Chris Hilton, defending, said Hunt had not been involved with Fathers 4 Justice for the last 18 months and had not breached his bail conditions.
He added: "Since he split up from his wife four years ago he has had no direct face-to-face contact with his children other than passing them in the street by chance."
Hunt was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £625 prosecution costs instead.
Speaking after the case Hunt spoke of his great relief he was spared prison.

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