A man stood on a stool outside his friend's home and made a vile threat through her bedroom window. Thomas Shone, who was in the habit of drinking a litre and a half of vodka each day, warned Janet Reynolds he would "torch" her Newport home.
Shone had been friends with Ms Reynolds for around 15 years but at around 9.50pm on July 11 last year he went to her property and became abusive. Prosecutor Dave Thomas told Newport Magistrates' Court that police had arrested Shone earlier that day for an unrelated offence. The 38-year-old had just been released when he "barged" into Ms Reynolds' home and started looking for alcohol.
"The victim said he looked angry," said Mr Thomas. "She told him he was not allowed in the home but he told her to 'f*** off', before storming out. He then started shouting outside and the victim phoned police. He stood on a stool outside and spoke through the small window into the victim's bedroom: 'I'm going to torch this place.'"
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The court heard Shone had been drinking before his arrest earlier in the day but not directly before the threat to Ms Reynolds. Mr Thomas added that Shone's relationship with Ms Reynolds had been "purely platonic". He is only "lightly convicted" with a 2015 offence for drink-driving on his record, said the prosecutor.
In her victim impact statement Ms Reynolds said: "I was aware he had been struggling with alcohol and I was trying to help him. This [incident] has made me frightened and scared."
Shone is registered homeless but has been living in a Newport guesthouse. A probation officer told the court Shone had been drinking "incredible" amounts — around a litre and a half of hard alcohol each day, usually vodka. "He has been struggling with his mental health, mostly as a result of not seeing his daughter," she said. "A lot of it is his own doing, in that he drinks quite heavily. He understands he must tidy up his act."
She added that Shone, who has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), spends a minimum of £20 a day on alcohol — adding up to almost double the £335 he receives each month in Universal Credit. He has been taking heartburn medication because of his alcohol abuse and is receiving addiction support.
The probation officer said Shone would be willing to do unpaid work but District Judge Sophie Toms replied: "If someone is drinking a litre and a half of spirits a day, I don't think he is going to be able to do unpaid work... It's going to have to be a fine."
Shone pleaded guilty to threatening to damage property. Matthew Jones, mitigating, said his client's behaviour was "out of character", adding: "He would never have carried out the threat and he is remorseful."
Judge Toms told Shone: "This was a very unpleasant offence against someone who had been helping you." She said the probation service had convinced her that a community order was appropriate but he had "come close" to jail.
The judge imposed an 18-month community order with a nine-month alcohol treatment requirement and 15 rehabilitation days. Shone must pay a £100 fine, victim services surcharge of £114 and £85 in prosecution costs at a rate of £20 per month.
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