He was abruptly told to leave after his sister-in-law complained that he and his friends had been ‘noisy and rowdy’ – and woke up her son
A hot-headed troublemaker who sent a menacing message threatening to blow up his sister-in-law’s house has narrowly avoided being jailed after ignoring a warning to keep out of trouble. Steven Atkinson had already been spared prison once but he took no notice of the chance that he had been given and landed himself in hot water again, Hull Crown Court heard.
Atkinson, 39, of Cavill Place, off Linneaus Street, west Hull, originally admitted threatening to destroy property by blowing up a house belonging to his sister-in-law on May 26 last year. He also admitted damaging a window at her home on April 18 last year.
Atkinson had been given 100 hours’ unpaid work and 10 days’ rehabilitation at a hearing in May but he had “made next to no progress” on the order and admitted breaching it. He admitted a new offence of causing criminal damage on August 12.
Amber Hobson, prosecuting, said that the latest offence came to light when police found Atkinson using a saw to cut off a lock and a heavy-duty chain on a gate at a yard on an industrial estate in Bankside, Hull. He pretended to be there to collect a forklift truck that he had bought but the owner said that this was untrue.
There were 10 to 12 storage containers, with high-value items inside them, and scrap vehicles at the site. Atkinson was clearly there to see if there was anything worth stealing, the court heard. He had convictions for 39 previous offences.
The original offences happened because Atkinson was left furious at suddenly being told to move his beloved caravan from his sister-in-law’s garden – and he got his revenge by sending the threatening message.
He took offence when he was abruptly told to leave after his sister-in-law complained that he and his friends had caused serious problems by being “noisy and rowdy” – and waking up a boy.
The threat to blow up the house left the woman in fear and suffering panic attacks. The court heard that, in August 2023, Atkinson moved his caravan into the back garden of the house occupied by his brother and sister-in-law in Danepark Road, Orchard Park.
He lived there “on and off” but “matters came to a head” in April last year after he invited some people round. They were quite noisy and rowdy. Atkinson’s sister-in-law told him: “You have woken my son up. You are going to have to move your caravan tomorrow.”
The woman and her husband later, however, started instead to move the caravan out of the garden themselves. There was an argument and Atkinson threw a shovel at a window, causing it to smash.
He later sent her voice messages, including one saying that he wanted money that he was supposedly owed for Christmas presents that had been bought for his sister-in-law’s family. He became more irate in the messages and sent one saying words to the effect: “If you don’t give me the money, I’m going to blow your house up.”
James O’Connor, mitigating, told the latest hearing that Atkinson clearly recognised his wrongdoing and pleaded guilty to the new offrnce at the earliest opportunity. His caravan recently burned down. He was on benefits.
Atkinson was given 100 hours’ unpaid work – to replace the previous order – as well as a 30-day 7pm to 6am curfew and 10 days’ rehabilitation.