A SELF-CONFESSED alcoholic who sent threatening and abusive emails to a woman while he was drunk has been sentenced to 90 hours of community service.
The Magistrate’s Court heard that 30-year-old Adam Jeffrey Palmer had a previous conviction for the same offence and Assistant Magistrate Adam Clarke told him that his recent offending crossed “the custodial threshold”.
But he stopped short of sending Palmer, who is seeking help for his alcoholism, to prison.
St Helier Centenier Paul Davies said Palmer sent five threatening messages to a woman in the early hours of 17 September. The content of the messages was not disclosed in court but Mr Davies said the woman had found them very distressing.
Advocate Chris Baglin, defending, asked the court to grant Palmer “one final opportunity”.
He said: “When he is not drunk Mr Palmer doesn’t present an issue. That is the beginning, middle and end of it. When he is sober he is a personable, likeable and intelligent young man.”
He added that Palmer was now seeking help from different sources.
The Assistant Magistrate told Palmer: “The language was disturbing and the timing was particularly unpleasant.”
But he added: “I am pleased you are making an effort to help yourself. It is clear that alcohol is the root cause of this. You must keep away from it.”
