A MAN who subjected Job Centre staff to a stream of foul, racist and inappropriate messages and threats has been spared jail.

Jamie Whitfield, of Maes Llwyn Close in Bronington, Whitchurch, appeared for sentence at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Tuesday afternoon.

The 35-year-old had been found guilty after trial of one offence of sending by public communication network an offensive / indecent / obscene  or menacing message, the offence having happened on November 13 last year in Wrexham.

Prosecutor James Ashton told the court Whitfield's messages were sent via the Job Centre portal to his case worker at the organisation, and followed a disagreement over how much money he was entitled to.

The prosecutor read the lengthy messages out in their entirety.

Among their contents were Whitfield's comments: "You f****** bimbo c***. This country owes me and my family.

"I expect you to fund it yourself; £300 from your personal bank.

"I'll be down to the Job Centre today to collect my £300 and you will give it to me.

"F*** doing anything for you c***s at the jobbie, you will be paying me cash whenever I want.

"Every employee owes me a tax - open them wallets you c***s.

"I will bombard you and your staff inside and outside your job.

"I work for f*** all now, I'm taking it from you Job Centre staff."

The defendant went on to say he hoped staff died or got "hit by a truck," and wished serious ill befall their family members.

"B*****s, you're hexed," he told them.

"I really hope the worst suffering is coming to all of you."

Whitfield accused the Jobcentre of 'supporting terrorists and rapists' and made a variety of disparaging remarks about him having sex with women.

He said: "I bet you want to suck the toe of Hitler," as well as going on to make several racist remarks about former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The defendant represented himself at the hearing, with a large part of his defence resting on a letter he'd written to the court.

In it, he said: "I'd like to apologise for these horrible messages.

"In light of today's society, I am sorry.

"I have faced injustices and I do not want to be part of the hate.

MORE COURT NEWS

"I don't want people to go through the things I did and I am here today, alone and without a solicitor, to face the punishment.

"I clearly have a weak mind and am no longer a man of decency. I have let myself down.

"I will feel awful and will never forget I was part of the problem rather than the solution."

The defendant said in the letter that he would "work with the court to show people I am not that person."

He concluded: "I want to change myself for the better."

And when asked if he wished to add anything before the Magistrates retired to consider sentence, he said: "I've only got myself to blame."

Celia Jenkins, Chair of the Magistrates, told the defendant: "Mr Whitfield, there's quite a lot of experience on this bench.

"We've never heard anything quite like that.

"This has crossed the custody threshold due to the vile nature of the content, threats being made to individuals known to you, and there's the racial element to consider."

Whitfield received a sentence of 12 weeks imprisonment, but it was suspended for two years in order to allow him to work with probation officers.

He must undertake 35 sessions on an accredited programme in order to challenge his beliefs, as well as 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 120 hours of unpaid work.

The defendant must also pay £100 compensation to the two Job Centre staff members who read his foul and abusive messages, in addition to £450 costs and a £154 victim surcharge.