13-minute abuse call followed Facebook contact – defendant warned over behaviour in court

A PEMBROKE man has been found guilty of threatening to kill the editor of the Pembrokeshire Herald during a prolonged and abusive phone call, and of a racially aggravated public order offence committed when police arrested him.

Anthony Jones, 34, of Castle Quarry, Long Mains, Monkton, was convicted of both charges following a trial at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Feb 2).

Magistrates heard the threats followed publication of an online Herald article about fly grazing and loose horses on roads in the Monkton area of Pembroke — a story raised with the newspaper by local county councillor Jonathan Grimes.

Facebook approach before call

Editor Tom Sinclair told the court he was first contacted via Facebook Messenger by a profile operating under the name “Excellence Cleaning”.

The account claimed to have information about the horses’ ownership and repeatedly asked for a direct phone number.

Mr Sinclair said he initially offered the office landline but was pressed for his mobile number instead.

Within minutes of providing it, he received a call from a withheld number at around 5:52pm.

Police later traced that number to Jones.

“On a different level”

Mr Sinclair told the court the call lasted around 13 minutes and consisted of sustained verbal abuse and threats.

He said the caller repeatedly swore at him, demanded that the Facebook article be removed, and made threats of death towards him. The caller also mentioned Cllr Grimes and threatened him as well.

Giving evidence, Mr Sinclair said: “I often receive complaints and quite aggressive calls as part of the job, but this was on a different level.”

He said he believed the threats were genuine and intended to intimidate.

After the call ended, he consulted colleague Bruce Sinclair and Cllr Grimes before contacting police.

Screenshots of the Facebook messages and the mobile phone call log were later provided to officers as evidence.

Sinclair said in evidence that he sat in his car, parked outside his house for several hours that night, keeping watch to protect his family.

“I did not take the decision to give evidence today lightly, it is because I believe that it is important that the news can be printed without fear or favour, and that journalists should not have to be bullied or threatened for just doing their jobs.”

Courtroom outburst

Jones did not give evidence in his own defence.

His solicitor told the court he accepted making the call but denied that the contents were threatening.

While Mr Sinclair was giving evidence, Jones shouted from the dock, calling him a liar. Magistrates immediately warned him about his behaviour.

After the guilty verdicts were delivered, the chairman of the bench told Jones he was lucky not to face a separate contempt of court charge because of his conduct during the hearing.

Arrest incident

The court also heard that when officers attended to arrest Jones in connection with the threats, he used threatening and abusive language towards a police officer, PC Stuart Gray.

That offence was found to be racially aggravated and to have caused harassment, alarm and distress.

Sentencing pending

Jones was found guilty on both counts.

He was released on conditional bail and will return to court later this month for sentencing, once pre-sentencing reports are completed.