BARROW MAN MICHAEL SNAILMAN THREATENED TO KILL NEWBORN BABY
A ‘MENACING and belligerent’ man who made a woman's 'life a misery' threatened to kill her crying baby, a court heard.Michael Snailman, of Cameron Street, Barrow, ‘showered’ the victim with unwanted gifts and generally made her ‘life a misery’, His Honour Judge Michael Maher said.
The 59-year-old pleaded guilty on the day of his trial at Preston Crown Court to harassment without violence between April 19, 2021, and May 5, 2025.
Prosecutor Rani Kaur said the course of conduct began when the victim moved into a flat next door to Snailman with her boyfriend when she was just 16-years old.
“On April 20, 2021, the defendant met the complainant by knocking at her door,” Ms Kaur said.
He asked her if she could do him a favour by waking him up the following morning.
“She declined thinking it was odd.
She saw the defendant in the street the following day.
She would see him on more than one occasion.
“She would catch the defendant staring at her and repeatedly attempting to hug her.” The court heard the behaviour continued when the victim moved into another flat on the other side of the defendant.
Ms Kaur continued: “He asked if she could wake him up for a night shift.
She knew he was not working.
The defendant became aggressive banging on her ceiling.
This went on for several months.
“He then started to send unwanted gifts such as bed covers and shampoo sets and began shouting in her direction through the adjoining floors of her home.” The court heard the victim went out with her newborn baby for the first time on April 29 this year.
The following day the baby was crying and the defendant began to stamp on the floor before yelling: ‘Shut that baby up or I will kill it’.
Matters culminated in the defendant ‘scratching at her front door’ which resulted in an emergency locksmith being called out.
Snailman was on a community order at the time of some of the conduct for common assault and criminal damage against the same victim.
In mitigation, Beth Pilling said: “The banging on the ceiling, scratching at the door and telling the baby to shut up was after the community order was imposed.
“He says he has tried to minimise the impact.
There had been no issues until she moved into her flat.
He clearly did not see eye-to-eye – especially with her partner.
He wore headphones, shut the windows and tried to avoid bumping into them.
“He makes no doubt about the fact he has been drinking more.
He lost his mother before the victim moved to the area.
He suffers from anxiety and depression.
“He has not drank now for eight months.
He feels the best he has ever felt.
It is his first time in custody.
He has seen the benefits of that.
“He has attended church every day and has learnt to read again.
He wants to start afresh.
He wishes to visit friends and family rather than return to Barrow.” Judge Maher jailed the defendant for 18 weeks – albeit he will be released immediately due to time served.
Before passing the sentence, he told Snailman: “Your life has been blighted and threatened by drink.
“You made her life a misery over this four-year period.
She was aged between 16 and 20.
You were in your mid to late fifties.
You should have known better.
“Your behaviour transitioned from peculiar to the overly familiar before then turning downright menacing and belligerent.
“This had a terrifying impact on her and has had a very serious psychological impact on her.” A five-year restraining order was also imposed.
