Notorious bully is spared prison for breaching Asbo

A NOTORIOUS bully has been spared jail after breaching his Asbo three times.

Gary Saunders, 56, was handed an Asbo in 2014 in a bid to curb his antics – but has breached it three times.

The court heard Saunders cycled by and spat towards Gali Gogrees, who was smoking outside his home in Western Parade, Southsea, on September 8 last year between 6pm and 7pm.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The spit did not hit the man but Saunders returned two hours later shouting and swearing abuse at the victim saying: ‘What are you doing in my country? Get out of my country.’

The victim, a British citizen, called 999 and Saunders was arrested by police.

In a statement read out at Portsmouth Crown Court the victim said: ‘I’m scared I might come across him again and he might behave in the same way. This has had a long-standing effect on me.’

Matthew Farmer, prosecuting, said on another occasion between October and September last year Saunders, who has 97 convictions, was outside a shop in Castle Road, Southsea. Mr Farmer said he was shouting and swearing, was ‘red-faced’ and looked as though he was on drugs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Victim David Evans, a 70-year-old volunteer worker at the shop, said in a statement: ‘I’m so badly shaken up by the incident I couldn’t come in to open the door the next day.’

On the third occasion, Saunders went to the Jet petrol station in Green Road, Southsea, where he asked a woman working there to go on holiday with him.

Mr Farmer said two weeks later she started to get concerned about him.

‘He again asked to go on holiday, she said straightaway she wouldn’t be going, and that she had a boyfriend. She was starting to become a bit worried.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The woman asked a relative to speak to Saunders – who then started turning up to her work calling her abusive names and asking for her.

But on November 17 he turned up at 6.45pm and started shouting ‘you’re a grass’ to her while on the forecourt.

‘She was scared of Saunders and fearful what he could do,’ Mr Farmer added.

He appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court and admitted three counts of breaching his Asbo and a separate theft.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

David Reid, for Saunders, said: ‘He thinks the problem is alcohol.’

He stole food from Co-op in Portsmouth on January 13 but received no separate penalty.

Recorder Rufus Taylor banned Saunders from going to Castle Road by adding the condition to his Asbo, which he ordered to keep running.

He handed Saunders, of Lake Road, Portsmouth, an 18-month sentence suspended for 18 months with 30 rehabilitation activities.