Man sentenced to 12 months after being found guilty of making threats

A 42-year-old man who repeatedly threatened to kill a neighbour following a heated exchange in a communal garden has been jailed for 12 months.

At about 11.30am on Friday, August 9 this year, Northamptonshire Police were called to the address in Campbell Street, Northampton, following reports that a man had spat at a woman and threatened to kill her.

When Response officers arrived on scene, they were informed that during a verbal argument, Gary Samuel Jeffers had spat in the woman’s face and hair, and when led away, shouted that he would ‘put a bullet in her head’.

Jeffers was arrested and in his formal police interview continued to repeatedly make threats to the harm the woman, who he claimed had made racist and homophobic comments to him, although he couldn’t recall what she said.

He was subsequently charged with one count of threats to kill and one of assault by beating, and appeared at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, August 12, where he pleaded not guilty.

He was remanded in custody until his trial at the same court and on Thursday, October 3, he was found guilty, with his case committed to Northampton Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday, November 14.

At his sentencing hearing, Jeffers was handed a 12-month jail term - 10 months for the threats to kill offence and a further two months to run consecutively in relation to the assault by beating.

Response officer PC Jack Drew of the West LPA, who led the investigation, said: “Tackling violence against women and girls remains a priority for Northamptonshire Police and we will continue to work hard to take make our communities safe places to live and work.

“Anyone who decides to cause distress or fear to others like this should expect to be dealt with robustly, and I am pleased that this stance has been reflected in the custodial sentence that Gary Jeffers received.”

Report non-emergency crime via 101 or online at www.northants.police.uk/RO. However, in an emergency, always call 999.