A former mechanic who 'lost everything' during the pandemic went on a booze-fuelled crime spree that saw him argue with a LAMPPOST, smash up a casino and brandish a knife in front of passengers on a bus.
David Potter, 42, narrowly avoided an immediate prison sentence after a heartfelt mea culpa to magistrates who agreed to 'give him a chance' and pleaded with him to 'not let us down.'
Potter's 'catalogue' of offending began in January this year when police were called due to him 'becoming aggressive' on a bus on Hempshaw Lane, and refusing to get off.
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Officers attended, but as they were arresting him for being drunk and disorderly he began to 'resist' and kicked one of them in the chest, Gareth Hughes, prosecuting said. "Fortunately no injury was caused," he added.
On Wednesday, March 5, there was an incident outside his Potter's mother's house in Offerton, where he launched a tirade against her neighbour.
He was shouting, swearing and being verbally abusive to the woman and others in her house the court was told. At one point he started 'swinging from a lamppost shouting 'I am going to f*****g kill you.' "and 'then started arguing with the lamppost. shouting and swearing at that', Mr Hughes said.
The following month Potter turned up at the Grosvenor Casino in Stockport town centre. He 'wasn't making much sense' so was asked to leave but on his way out he smashed a glass pane on the entrance door with bosses saying it will cost between £1,000-1,500 to repair.
His last offence came on May 5 when he was again asked to leave a bus due to his behaviour, however when he did he produced a kitchen knife.
He 'started walking away but turned around and approached the bus, knife in hand, but the bus drove away', Mr Hughes said.
Potter, of Shawcross Street near Stockport town centre, pleaded guilty at earlier hearings to charges of possession of a bladed article, using threatening/abusive/insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress, criminal damage, being drunk and disorderly and assaulting an emergency worker.
He was already subject to community orders for convictions of battery and assault in August and December last year. Both of these included alcohol treatment requirements however the court was told he had been banned from the alcohol team's offices due to his behaviour and he was found to be in breach of both.
He appeared at Tameside Magistrates Court for sentence via video link from HMP Doncaster where was being held on remand. Rebecca Clarke, mitigating, said she accepted he was in a 'difficult position.'
She said all the offences had been committed 'whilst he was intoxicated.' She said he is a married, fully qualified mechanic who was working before the pandemic but lost it. '
His relationship broke down and his father died during this period and he pinpoints this as the start of alcohol becoming a problem for him.' She said he had been 'street homeless' and had been sleeping rough until he found his current supported accommodation 14 months ago.
Potter himself read a letter where he apologised for his 'chaotic and selfish' behaviour and said he wanted to 'address my addiction.'. And magistrates decided against an immediate custodial sentence, suspending his six-month term for a period of one year.
Chair of the bench Michael Dunston told him the 'onus is on you to deal with these issues that are affecting you' as 'you have this Sword of Damocles hanging over you in the form of a suspended prison sentence.' 'Don't let us down' he added.
Potter was also handed a year-long restraining order banning from going to Paythorne Green in Offerton and not to contact his mother's neighbour. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to the casino.
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