Smirking menace who earned friend a ban from Gunwharf Quays is jailed

The foul-mouthed 20-year-old revelled in his appearance before Portsmouth Crown Court having been the architect of landing his former friend Kyle Moore with a court summons and ban from Gunwharf Quays.

Bennett had been detained by security at the shopping centre along with an accomplice after stealing a pedal cycle on October 23 last year.

When police turned up to arrest him he ‘became violent’ before ‘kicking out’ at them.

The defendant then gave police a false name and address – landing his former friend Kyle Moore in trouble.

Prosecutor Matthew Lawson said: ‘Mr Bennett became violent when police arrived and kicked out. He then gave the name Kyle Moore to police when he was arrested and taken to the police station.

‘Subsequently, a postal requisition order to appear at court was sent to the correct address of Kyle Moore, who lives in Shrewsbury.

‘When his mum saw the summons she told police she thought Mr Bennett had falsely given her son’s name. He had been a friend of the defendant.

‘Mr Moore was also told he was banned from Gunwharf following the incident.’

The court heard how police could have prevented the saga snowballing but for an oversight when serial offender Bennett was arrested.

‘The defendant’s fingerprints were not taken when he was in custody. This would have exposed him (as lying about his identity),’ Mr Lawson said.

Bennett’s offending since 2013 has seen a variety of offences including intimidating a witness or juror, attempted robbery and battery.

He was sentenced to 32 months jail earlier this year in May for making threats to kill. The defendant was given an additional six weeks jail for the assault on the officer at Gunwharf and four weeks concurrently for the bike theft.

Bennett, of no fixed address, shrugged his shoulders when asked if he was pleading innocent or guilty to a single charge of perverting the course of justice for falsely naming Kyle Moore. ‘I don’t care,’ he said before admitting his offence.

Asked if he wanted to mitigate his crime, the grinning defendant replied: ‘**** your system.’

Judge Roger Hetherington then sentenced Bennett to a further six weeks in jail. ‘It’s only right you receive an additional sentence for perverting the course of justice,’ he said.