Daniel Greatrex told he must be locked up as a message to others after he threatened five witnesses and attacked one of them
A thug who threatened five witnesses and attacked one of them has been jailed.
Teesside’s most senior judge told Daniel Greatrex, 24, from Redcar, that the message must go out that people who intimidate witnesses will receive a prison sentence.
Prosecutor Oliver Thorne told Teesside Crown Court that a neighbour of Greatrex’s made a complaint to police about his anti-social behaviour.
Three weeks later the man and his wife were in a shop on Redcar High Street when Greatrex approached them and stuck his face to within six inches of the husband’s saying in a slurred manner “Why have you made a statement against me ?
“That’s the biggest mistake you have ever made making a statement against me. “
The man told Greatrex that he had seen him kicking someone’s door and he had reported it to the police, and Greatrex responded: “No-one makes a statement against me.”
The householder also gave a statement to police, and a few days later he was walking home with his girlfriend when Greatrex drove up in his car and he got out leaving the engine running.
Greatrex accused him of being a “grass” and grabbed hold of the man by his collar and headbutted him to the left eye.
Mr Thorne said Greatrex got back into his car threatening “If you phone the police it will be worse” and threatened to “break his jaw”.
Greatrex was on police bail after the first incident on December 4.
He had eight previous convictions for nine offences including possession of a weapon that fired gas, affray and Public Order matters. He had been given a conditional discharge last year for criminal damage.
Mr Thorne said that each of the five people involved had given Victim Impact statements and they had made requests for a restraining order on Greatrex.
Andrew White, defending, said that Greatrex had been in custody since December and he wished to offer apologies to the witnesses.
Mr White added: “This has been his first period in custody and he tells me he is absolutely determined it will also be his last.
“It has had a huge impact on him, it has made him realise what a wretched existence it is in Holme House.”
The judge told Greatrex that the maximum penalty for witness intimidation was five years imprisonment, and it was most serious when an assault was involved.
Greatrex, of Wilton Avenue, Redcar, was jailed for 21 months after he pleaded guilty to two offences of intimidating witnesses, and he was also given restraining orders banning contact with the five witnesses for five years or face a five years jail sentence.
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