Magistrate tells man "… it’s now time to get your act together"

Sunday 04 March 2018

A man found guilty of assaulting his partner for a third time has been told he’s got to grow up.

The stern words from Magistrate David Le Cornu to 30-year-old Oliver Lancaster came at the end of a brief court appearance when he sentenced the man – who’d already spent the equivalent of three months’ imprisonment on remand – to 12 months’ probation.

"Clearly it’s the drink that’s the root of the problem," Mr Le Cornu told Lancaster, “if you come back to court the court will come down heavily. You are 30, it’s time you got your act together’.

On 23 December last year Lancaster returned to his flat in St. Helier in the early hours of the morning after having been out drinking with friends. Two people who were passing the building at the time heard shouts and screams, and could see Lancaster through the window arguing with a women. They ran up to the flat to see what was going on and said Lancaster looked nervous and told them to get out. They restrained him and called the police.

Lancaster’s defence lawyer said the assault had been of the "pushing and shoving" kind and that no punches had been exchanged. He also said Lancaster’s partner had been drinking at the time. Despite previous events she still wanted to give him one more chance.