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08
Nov
Harrogate woman, 18, spared jail for sending offensive WhatsApp messages
An 18-year-old who threatened to slash a woman's tyres was sentenced at Harrogate Magistrates Court today (November 8).
Leah Marchinton, who was 17 at the time of the offence, pleaded guilty to one count of sending by public communication network an offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing message or matter on October 18.
Prosecutor Mel Ibbotson today told the court Marchinton, who wore jeans and a black jumper in court, was returning to Harrogate on April 4 after staying in Selby.
The court heard she “wanted a lift” back to Harrogate but was told she would be getting the train instead.
Ms Ibbotson said the defendant was sending WhatsApp messages to a local children’s home company phone at the time, and it was after discovering she would be travelling by train that Marchinton became angry.
The named victim, who worked at the children’s centre, picked up Marchinton’s messages. They said:
I will do your house over. I will slash your tyres.
Think what your daughter would look like posted through a letterbox.
Ms Ibbotson told the court the victim was concerned for the safety of her and her children and she believed Marchinton could follow through on the threats.
In the aftermath, the victim put a cage on her letterbox, she was signed off work due to struggling with her mental health and even moved the family out of their home for 48 hours because she felt unsafe, Ms Ibbotson said.
‘I’m sick of people saying I did it because I was told no’
Andrew Tinning, defending, told the court Marchinton sent some “pretty unpleasant messages”.
The messages were sent to a communal company phone, used by staff members, not the individual’s personal phone. Mr Tinning said Marchinton sent the offensive messages as she “felt no one was listening to her”.
He also emphasised the defendant was still 17 at the time of the incident, meaning she could have appeared in youth court had the case been heard sooner.
The magistrates told Marchinton she “disrupted a family’s life all because you were told no”.
Marchinton, who was crying at the time, said in response:
I did not do it because she said no and I’m sick of people saying that. What I did was inexcusable, but it was not because I was told no.
The magistrates told Marchinton her conduct had “reached the custody threshold” but they decided to “step back from that”.
Instead, Marchinton was sentenced to a community order, which requires her to be under supervision for 18 months and attend 15 rehabilitation activity days.
She was handed a two-year restraining order, which means she cannot contact the victim or her family during that time.
Marchinton must also pay £199 to the courts, which includes a £114 surcharge and £85 in costs.
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