Man jailed following suicide attempt drama

Peter Kelly abused would-be rescuer, court told

A NEWBURY man has been sent to prison, just days after an apparent suidice attempt.

Peter Paul Kelly, aged 49, appeared in the dock at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, November 16, having been arrested the previous day for harassing passers-by in Reading town centre, shouting “Allahu Akhbar” and preventing them from boarding a bus.

Clare Barclay, prosecuting, said Mr Kelly, formerly of Newtown Road, Newbury, and currently of no fixed address, had been given a last chance just days before.

Mike Davis, defending, said his client had been threatening to hurl himself from a bridge "with a view to taking his own life.”

He added: “Police had to shut the road and he was abusive to someone who tried to pull him back.”

That was the latest in a string of incidents involving alcohol which led to Mr Kelly’s being repeatedly arrested, the court heard.

For the public order offences involving the apparent suicide attempt, Mr Kelly was made subject to a deferred sentence order.

This required him to stay out of trouble until the sentence was reviewed in future – but, in fact, he managed to do so for just five days.

Mr Kelly admitted committing his latest bout of disorderly behaviour on November 15. He further admitted thereby breaching a conditional discharge for previous offending and breaching the deferred sentence order.

Mr Davis told the court his client had been engaging with the substance misuse organisation Swanswell while living at the Two Saints hostel in Newtown Road, Newbury.

However, he conceded that Mr Kelly had been required to leave there following an incident that he instigated and was now living in a tent.

Mr Davis concluded: “Alcohol is the root cause of his offending.”

A probation officer said Mr Kelly had successfully completed a 12 month community order imposed for assaulting a police officer.

Nevertheless, district judge Davinder Lachhar said Mr Kelly’s chances had run out and an immediate custodial sentence was the only viable sentencing option.

Mr Kelly was sent to prison for six weeks. He will serve half that time behind bars and the rest in the community on licence.

In addition he was ordered to pay a statutory victim services surcharge of £115.