Yorkshire teen jumps out of the dock and flees court after being jailed

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 5 how Troy Wildin, aged 19, of Dovercourt Road, near Masbrough and Bradgate, Rotherham, threatened a man and a woman who had been victims in a shooting incident to drop the charges or he would mess up their home and shoot them.

Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, said the man and woman had previously been involved in a domestic neighbourhood dispute before a man called Hedley Patterson had discharged a “shotgun” in the street and had left the woman injured.

Wildin claimed he was being offered money by Patterson to mess up their home and shoot them.

Ms Hollis revealed that during a phone call Wildin asked if they were going to drop the charges and he said, “I am being offered money to f**k up your gaff and come and shoot you”, and the man who took the call said he would try and sort something out.

Wildin made a further call the following day, according to Ms Hollis, and apologised and claimed he would not have done anything but he had been offered money and threatened that he would not see the birth of his unborn baby.

The defendant, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to intimidating witnesses after the incident on August 6, 2020.

Francis Edusei, defending, said Wildin had shown a “distinct lack of maturity at the time” but he had the good sense to apologise.

He added: “He has no one else to blame but he saw the error of his ways immediately.”

Recorder Kate Batty told a tearful Wildin: “Witnesses must know that when they are brave enough to come forward they will be protected by the courts.”

As Recorder Batty sentenced Wildin to six months of custody in a Young Offender Institution he repeatedly begged her “please” and that he needed to see his mother but as his mother was allowed into court the defendant jumped over the barrier of the dock.

While being pursued by a security officer, Wildin forced his way out of the court room where he was further pursued across the top landing of the court building by more security officers before he returned and was detained.

Recorder Batty commended the security staff and opted to take no further action against Wildin.

Sheffield Crown Court had previously heard in September, 2021, how Hedley Patterson, aged 30 at the time, and of Osprey Gardens, Skye Edge, Sheffield, had been involved in a dispute with the man and woman in Rotherham before he returned from a car armed with an imitation shotgun which he had fired into the ground in front of them.

Judge Rachael Harrison sentenced Patterson to seven-and-a-half years of custody and he will not be eligible for release until he has served at least two-thirds of that sentence.

Patterson, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence after the incident on August 1, 2020.

He also admitted possessing a bladed article from June, 2019, after this was found in a car when he was stopped by police for driving erratically.