'Bizarre' whiskey-fuelled rampage lands Chard man in court

Tristan Julian Jackson-Smyth had been drinking heavily when he started hammering on the window of an address in Holyrood Street where children were inside, causing it to break.

He then went to another street and pushed a woman inside her property as she was opening her front door.

He then grabbed her house keys off her, taunted her with them and threw them in a gutter before hurling them onto a nearby roof.

His bizarre behaviour continued when he went into a veterinary surgery and left the female receptionist terrified after he told her to leave or he would hold her there inside.

The 37-year-old defendant, of Clarkes Close, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates, sitting at Yeovil.

He pleaded guilty to damaging a window at an address in Holyrood Street in Chard belonging to Sharon Mather on December 27 and damaging a key and lock belonging to Sandra Burbridge as well as assaulting her.

He also admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour likely to cause somebody harassment, alarm or distress Prosecutor Andrew Escott-Watson said that all the offences were committed in a very short space of time when the defendant was walking along Holyrood Street in Chard during the afternoon in a drunken state.

“He then threw a bottle at the window of an address belonging to Sharon Mather who was in her home at the time with children present,” he said.

“They looked out of the window and shouted at him and he replied “f*** you” to them.”

Jackson-Smyth then went into another street and headed towards the front door of a property where the owner was stood and pushed the woman, Sandra Burbridge, inside.

“He then slammed the door against her wrist and she recognised him as being the son of one of her friends and he shouted “don’t you know what you have done to my mum, she’s in pieces?,” he said.

“She told him to get out or she would call the police but when Jackson-Smyth took her keys she walked off and tried to get them back.

“He started to goad her, shaking the keys in front of her, and then dropped them in the gutter so she went to pick them up.

“As she did this the defendant then threw them onto the roof of a shop which was seen by a witness who alerted a passing police officer.”

A short time later Jackson-Smyth went into the Minster Veterinary Surgery where a young woman was working behind the reception desk.

“He said his life was falling apart and he just wanted to calm down which left the woman feeling concerned,” said Mr Escott-Watson.

“He then told her that she had better leave the premises or he would hold her there which caused her to feel fear so she left the defendant inside the building and went to her vehicle outside.

“A few minutes later Jackson-Smyth came out and started banging on her car bonnet and shouting at her not to call the police and then walked away.”

A police constable arrived at the scene and retrieved Miss Burbridge’s keys and arrested the defendant who was nearby.

During interview he admitted being very drunk after consuming a whole bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey.

He said he had been angry about a family argument and said he was so drunk that he could not remember much of what happened.

He said that Miss Burbridge owed his mother some money but couldn’t even remember going into the vets.

All three victims made statements detailing to impact the defendant’s actions had had upon them which were read out in full to the court.

Sharon Mather said the incident had left her feeling shaken and she had no idea why Jackson-Smyth had smashed her window.

She said she was really upset and the two children were both scared at the window being smashed.

Sandra Burbridge said that since the offence she was nervous when going in and out of her flat and had to be sent home from work the day after the incident as she was unable to carry on.

“I had to stay with my family for a few weeks to get over the shock and my mother is very worried about me,” she said.

“I’ve arranged counselling to try and help me move on and went to the doctor about my hand who confirmed there was deep tissue damage and I have also suffered pain in my leg after being pushed over.

“I’ve lost my appetite and my sleep has also been affected and I continue to feel tearful and scared.”

Miss Mead from the veterinary surgery said that she had never been involved in anything like this incident before and said that the defendant had left her feeling scared and unsafe.

She said she now felt she would have to lock the door when it got dark and said his behaviour had really unsettled her and she did not feel safe at work anymore.

Defending solicitor Neil Priest said that Jackson-Smyth had a history of committing criminal damage due to him losing his temper and also had a history of abusing alcohol.

“To his credit he has not been in trouble for four years since his last offence and is very ashamed to be back in court,” he said.

“He had drunk a bottle of Jack Daniels and was very inebriated and then there was a chapter of behaviour where he engaged in both criminal and bizarre behaviour where he described his life as falling around his ankles.

“He wants some help from the Probation Service with anger management and has not only accepts his difficulties with alcohol but has also self-referred to the Somerset Drugs and Alcohol Service (SDAS).”

Chair of the magistrates Rosie Wilson said it had been a prolonged interlude where several people were scared of the defendant as he was wandering around drunk.

“Alcohol does not make it an excuse, it makes it worse,” she said.

They sentenced Jackson-Smyth to a 24 month community order with a 60 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement. They also made him subject to an eight week curfew order between 6pm and 6am daily while fitted with an electronic tag.

He was also ordered to pay Sandra Burbridge £250 compensation, Yarlington £150 for the broken window and a further £100 to Miss Mead. Costs of £85 and an £85 victim surcharge were also imposed.