Probation for man who left care home residents 'frightened'

62-year-old told behaviour was 'totally unacceptable'

A Douglas man has been ordered to work with the Manx probation service after leaving care home residents ‘frightened and fearful’.

Richard Alan Kewley, of Tynwald Road, had to be escorted from Reayrt-ny-Baie on 19 September last year.

Nursing staff had found him being ‘loud and aggressive’ and trying to give the friend he was visiting alcohol; when they asked him to leave he told them: “I’m not leaving, you can’t make me.”

The 62-year-old, who was drunk at the time of his visit to the Albert Terrace facility, was arrested and later admitted using provoking behaviour.

During sentencing at Douglas Courthouse a probation officer told the court Kewley remembered very little about the incident saying he was struggling with alcohol addiction and his mental health.

“He does state that there’s no one in his life who can offer him support,” she added. “Things have escalated and seem to have become quite difficult.”

Kewley’s advocate told the court his client had been prevented from visiting his friend since the incident - something that had caused him ‘considerable distress’.

Imposing a two-year probation order High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Kewley: “Your behaviour on this day was totally unacceptable – you cannot behave like that.”

Describing the punishment as a way of getting him back on the ‘straight and narrow’ she added: “You need some assistance. You need some contact with people other than yourself.”

Kewley was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £300.