Magistrate Bridget Shaw told Charley Mills that if he committed another offence while on probation, he would likely be sent to prison or committed to the Royal Court.
Mr Mills was facing three charges including assault, causing malicious damage and resisting arrest. All charges stemmed from the same incident which occurred on 2 January at the home of one of Mr Mills’ friends.
Legal adviser Laura Hallam told the Court that Mr Mills had a violent outburst when a female he was with refused to leave the property and return to his address. The pair argued for a while and it was alleged Mr Mills grabbed the victim on several occasions, at one point pulling her legs so that she slid down a sofa and fell to the floor. He is also alleged to have shouted insults at her several times. The victim said she was shocked and scared by Mr Mills behaviour during the altercation.
She also told Court of a previous incident involving Mr Mills during which he kicked a female in her stomach outside of St. James Wine Bar on La Rue de Funchal in August 2017. Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris had sentenced Mr Mills to 120 hours of community service as well as a 12-month probation order. He also signed a three-month exclusion order from licensed premises.
Advocate Giles Emmanuel, who was defending, told the Court that Mr Mills did not deny his conduct, and although he could not recollect what had happened, he did not contradict the victim’s version of events. He added that the assault was not a violent one, as Mr Mills did not strike to punch the woman and didn’t wish to hurt her.
The advocate told the Court that at only 22-years-old, Mr Mills had still “some benefit of youth,” adding that his client had only recently started a new job, which “opened new chapter in his life.” Advocate Emmanuel also told Court that Mr Mills suffered from an injury in 2010, which “aversely changed his emotional state ,” leading to anxiety and anger management issues. He urged the Court to give Mr Mills one last chance, adding that his client knew he would most likely face prison if he re-offends.
Magistrate Bridget Shaw told Mr Mills he had a “choppy record for violence,” describing kicking a woman in the stomach while under the influence of alcohol as unpleasant. She said: “At the time you were given 120 hours of community as an alternative to six months in prison. You were told alcohol was an aggravating factor and yet here we are, in February, and you are facing the court for violence again.”
She told Mr Mills that she was “just persuaded” to extend his community service order, by the fact that he had recently secured a full time job. She added: “It is still very early days. You will have to change your behaviour radically if you want to keep your job. You are given the opportunity to change your life, your career, but you will have to change your behaviour. There is no further alternative to custody if you come back to court.”
Magistrate Shaw imposed a further 60 hours of community service and fined Mr Mills £450. He is also the subject of a new three-month exclusion order.
Magistrate Shaw concluded: “This sort of behaviour is not acceptable, never. If you break your probation order or community service order, you will be back before this court and there won’t be much room left for this court to sentence you.”
