Man threatened bartender at Police Club

A 32-year-old man who threatened a bar tender was today given a conditional discharge.

Kijuan Franks pleaded guilty in Magistrates’ Court today to uttering threatening words to Sean Smith.

The court heard Franks was at the Police Recreation Club at 8:40pm on Sunday evening when police officers arrived after reports of an unruly patron.

They were met by Mr Smith in the parking lot who pointed out Franks to the officers.

Franks then pointed his finger in the complainant’s face and said: “I’ll f**k you up. Wait til I see you again.”

The defendant was arrested and taken to the Hamilton Police Station where he was charged.

Franks’s lawyer, Auralee Cassidy, said: “He is sorry for the situation that happened. I am instructed that this is not usual behaviour for him.

“He’s got a short sharp shock being held in custody over night.”

Ms Cassidy asked for a non-custodial sentence for her client.

Franks told the court he had been drinking that day.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: “You realise you can’t do around this place behaving the way you did, threatening people.”

Franks said: “Yea, I know that your Honour.”

Mr Warner then sentenced him to a conditional discharge for 12 months.