LEONARD PEARS FROM WHITEHAVEN RE-SENTENCED AFTER DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOUR IN CARLISLE COURT
In May 2016, Leonard Pears, a known sex offender from Whitehaven, found himself back before the Carlisle Crown Court due to his continued disruptive conduct during a court-mandated rehabilitation program.Pears, who was originally sentenced in December 2014 for three counts of sexual activity with a child, had been given a community order with the requirement to complete a treatment course aimed at addressing his offending behavior.
However, Pears, aged 21 at the time, failed to cooperate fully with the program.
He admitted to neglecting to provide written evidence that would explain his unacceptable conduct during the sessions.
Prosecutor David Birrell detailed to Judge Tony Lancaster that the facilitator overseeing Pears’s rehabilitation described his persistent poor engagement and disruptive behavior throughout the course.
During the sessions, Pears was known to make comments such as “We shouldn’t be doing this” and directed remarks like “You shouldn’t do that” to other participants, which further hindered the progress of the group.
Despite efforts to address these issues through meetings, Pears’s attitude temporarily improved for nearly three months.
However, his behavior soon reverted to previous patterns.
Mr.
Birrell highlighted that Pears was heard to say, “I would rather be in prison,” and questioned whether he could do community service instead of the treatment program.
These comments led the probation service to conclude that the existing community order was no longer workable, as Pears’s attitude and conduct made it impossible to continue with the rehabilitation plan effectively.
Defending Pears, solicitor Kim Whittlestone described him as “a young man who is naive” and emphasized his “immaturity.” She acknowledged Pears’s responsibility for his lack of engagement and noted that he found the course difficult.
Miss Whittlestone pointed out that Pears had made efforts to improve his behavior and that his attitude had shown some positive change.
It was also mentioned that Pears was registered as a carer for his father, which added complexity to his situation.
The defense solicitor argued that if Pears were remanded into custody, it would cause significant difficulties within his family home.
After considering the mitigation, Judge Lancaster ordered Pears, of Ennerdale Terrace, Whitehaven, to complete 100 hours of unpaid community service.
However, the judge issued a stern warning, stating, “If you don’t do it, I can tell you now the chances are you are going to go through that door (into custody).” Pears was visibly present in the courtroom as the sentence was handed down, underscoring the seriousness of his conduct and the court’s expectations for his future behavior.
