[A] Cumbrian farmer has been placed on a 15-week electronic tag house curfew after he pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage, common assault and obstructing a police constable.
District Judge Gerald Chalk was told how a High Court enforcement officer ‘bailiff’ was sent on February 17 to visit Anthony Halliwell, 51, over an outstanding debt.
When the bailiff arrived at the Summerhill Farm, Scalby, Scalby Hill, Nr Carlisle, these was an argument and Hallliwell drove a 6-tonne digger towards the bailiff’s car, scraping along the side of the vehicle causing £2,414 of damage.
The farmer then lifted the ‘bucket’ of the digger and drove at the victims vehicle.
The court was told Halliwell also made verbal threats to the bailiff.
The judge sitting at Carlisle Magistrates Court was told that the defendant had “lost his rag” at the enforcement officer, as the farmer felt threatened for his family and the farm was private land, he now feels very embarrassed at being in court and admits he “lost control” this has been a long running debt problem the court was told, but the debt is now getting cleared.
Before passing sentence the judge told Halliwell that the bailiff was doing his job and this incident must have been “very scary” for him.
The “tagged curfew” is between the hours of 9pm to 5am lasting for 15-weeks with court costs of £170.
