Threatening revenge on a girl witness in a prosecution against him has landed a Thaxted man in prison.

Timothy Clarke, 32, of Park Street, Thaxted, was jailed for nine months when he appeared for sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court last week.

Clarke had denied threatening to take revenge on a 15-year-old girl but was convicted after a trial. Reports were requested before sentence was imposed.

The trial jury heard that the teenager was the main witness in a case against Clarke who pleaded guilty in November 2001.

Noel Casey, prosecuting, said on May 18 last year the girl was visiting a friend in Braintree when Clarke drove past her in Wheatley Avenue and stopped.

Clarke wound down his window and said, "You are going to pay for what you did to me." He drove off leaving the girl shocked and tearful. She told her mother what had happened

In evidence Clarke said he had been at his brother's home that day and was driving away when he saw the girl sitting by a stile.

"I didn't wind down the window and talk to her. I was in a panic to get away as quickly as I could", he said.

When cross-examined Clarke admitted he lied when he told police he had not been in Braintree that day.

He said he panicked because he was on probation and told the jury he had dug a hole for himself and that was why he wanted to tell the truth and come clean.

Anthony Abell, mitigating said: "He acted in a moment of madness."

Published Monday, June 2, 2003

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