Bransgore man jailed for 16 weeks following various offences in New Forest

A 26-year-old man from Bransgore has been jailed for 16 weeks after admitting to a number of charges in relation to incidents in Sway and New Milton.

Todd James Edward Cooper, of Thorney Hill, Bransgore pleaded guilty to one count of ABH assault, two counts of using abusive or threatening behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress and one count of causing criminal damage. These incidents occurred between Tuesday 8 September 2020 and Sunday 8 October 2020 in Sway and New Milton.

Southampton Magistrates Court heard how Cooper assaulted a woman at an address in Sway on Tuesday 8 September before making threats to harm the victim almost a month later following a chance encounter. The court also heard that Cooper caused damage to a property at an address in Gore Road, New Milton – and made subsequent threats to kill to another victim after they’d witnessed the incident.

Cooper pleaded guilty to all of these offences and was handed a 16-week imprisonment on Friday 26 February, broken down as follows;

• 16 weeks imprisonment for ABH assault – including a restraining order not to contact the victim

• 8 weeks imprisonment (to be served concurrently) for using abusive or threatening behaviour causing harassment

• 8 week imprisonment (to be served concurrently) for using abusive or threatening behaviour causing harassment – including a two-year restraining order not to contact the victim

• 4 weeks imprisonment (to be served concurrently) for causing criminal damage - including paying £500 compensation

Following the sentencing, New Forest District Commander, Chief Inspector Helen Andrews, said: “We are pleased that justice has been served – this is a great result for those individuals who have been personally affected by the crimes committed by Cooper. We hope that this will go some way to comfort them and to see that the judge had handed down a sentence befitting of his crimes.

“We are thankful to all of those officers involved in bringing these charges to court and playing a key role in stopping his offending. No one should be abused in their own home or made to feel threatened and fearful for their life while out in public. We hope that this sends out a strong message that such crimes will not be tolerated and that those who commit them will face the full extent of the law and be brought to justice.”