A man who deliberately blocked the progress of two cyclists on a towpath, causing one to fall and racially abusing another, has been given a suspended sentence by Swindon Crown Court.

Sara Mirabassi and Luke Machin were cycling on the canal path between Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge on 22 July 2020 when they encountered Stephen Robert Panes, a 49-year-old with 25 previous convictions for 76 offences, reports the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald (link is external).

As they approached Panes, who was drunk at the time, on a particularly narrow section of the path, the couple asked if they could pass him.

Panes instead blocked their way, shouting “this is my path”.. He also deliberately impeded other cyclists who were using the path.

Prosecutor Chris Smyth told the court that “the defendant took it that he had priority along the towpath, that cyclists should give way to him, despite the fact that they would be going faster than he was walking.

“When the pair of them asked him at least four times to move out of the way, he declined, saying it was a pedestrian right of way and that they were scaring his puppy.”

Miss Mirabassi, who was born in Iran, then attempted to pass Panes, who repeated the assertion that the path belonged to him, as “I was born here, I live here”.

> Jail for dog-walker who broke cyclist’s ribs by pushing him off his bike

When the path widened enough to pass him, Panes shouted at the cyclist to “f**k off back to your own country”. As Mr Machin rode past, Panes hit him with his arm causing Machin to fall off his bike. He was treated in hospital for cuts to his hands, elbow and bicep, as well as a “nasty” grazed knee.

Despite the defendant’s plethora of previous offences, he was only given a suspended sentence. “Society is better off if you get help for your problems,” the judge told Panes.

The two cyclists told police that since the incident they now avoid riding their bikes on the canal towpath.

https://road.cc/content/news/drunk-claims-right-way-and-hurls-racist-abuse-towpath-289475

On 12/01/2022 06:20 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> A man who deliberately blocked the progress of two fairy-cyclists on a towpath, causing one to fall and racially abusing another, has been given a suspended sentence by Swindon Crown Court.
>
> Sara Mirabassi and Luke Machin were fairy-cycling on the canal path between Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge on 22 July 2020 when they encountered Stephen Robert Panes, a 49-year-old with 25 previous convictions for 76 offences, reports the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald (link is external).

So with that many convictions, had he lost all his civil rights?
>
> As they approached Panes, who was drunk at the time, on a particularly narrow section of the path, the couple asked if they could pass him.

"The couple"?
>
> Panes instead blocked their way, shouting “this is my path”. He also deliberately impeded other fairy-cyclists who were using the path.
>
> Prosecutor Chris Smyth told the court that “the defendant took it that he had priority along the towpath, that fairy-cyclists should give way to him, despite the fact that they would be going faster than he was walking.
>
> “When the pair of them asked him at least four times to move out of the way, he declined, saying it was a pedestrian right of way and that they were scaring his puppy.”

"A pedestrian right of way"
>
> Miss Mirabassi, who was born in Iran, then attempted to pass Panes, who repeated the assertion that the path belonged to him, as “I was born here, I live here”.
>
>> Jail for dog-walker who broke fairy-cyclist’s ribs by pushing him off his fairy-bike
>
> When the path widened enough to pass him, Panes shouted at the fairy-cyclist to “f**k off back to your own country”. As Mr Machin rode past, Panes hit him with his arm causing Machin to fall off his fairy-bike. He was treated in hospital for cuts to his hands, elbow and bicep, as well as a “nasty” grazed knee.
>
> Despite the defendant’s plethora of previous offences, he was only given a suspended sentence. “Society is better off if you get help for your problems,” the judge told Panes.
>
> The two fairy-cyclists told police that since the incident they now avoid riding their bikes on the canal towpath.
>
> https://road.cc/content/news/drunk-claims-right-way-and-hurls-racist-abuse-towpath-289475

QUOTE:
The two cyclists told police that since the incident they now avoid
riding their bikes on the canal towpath.
ENDQUOTE

Come on... that's a result!

On Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at 6:20:41 PM UTC, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
>
joe9090 | 144 posts | 1 hour ago
0 likes

Original linked article seems to indicate he had quite a number of other sanctions that would normally really p*ss off any regular law abiding citizen if they were to receive those penalties.

Personally I would also like to see other automatic sanctions for these kinds of 'village idiots' (for want of a better term) and that would include;

(i) mandatory loss of ability to take part in any elections, we don’t want these people being part of the Brexit or UKIP/Far right voting crowd thanks.

(ii) the loss of any license to operate a motor vehicle, I mean why should you be able to control potentially murderous machinery in public with that kind of form?

(iii) tagging with home arrest and enforced nightly curfews, with auto electric shock when violated if necessary.

Might seem a little draconian, but I did stop short of suggesting castration and/or Gulags...

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Secret_squirrel replied to joe9090 | 1668 posts | 1 hour ago
2 likes

You're kinda missing the point - especially if you read the original story. He's in the late stages of an alcohol dependency and addiction. You can't punish him more than he's already punishing himself - he's literally killing himself slowly.

In terms of court & prison time he's probably cost more than a treatment plan would have.

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joe9090 replied to Secret_squirrel | 144 posts | 1 hour ago
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I get that, and it was a bit tounge in cheek, and I do have sympathy for the circumstances that these people get them selves into. But I do not think we should tolerate the resultant behaviour and the impact it has on innocents and society. There needs to be a more pragmatic approach.

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wtjs | 1412 posts | 14 hours ago
1 like

Well, we all knew that if you kill a cyclist, you have a good chance of getting away with a suspended sentence- now we know that if you have dozens of previous convictions you will likely be let off with a suspended sentence. We are now waiting for news of a suspended sentence for killing 2 or more cyclists, either at the same time or separately.

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Zjtm231 | 177 posts | 14 hours ago
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How did this waste of oxygen got off 51 charges?!

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Zjtm231 | 2808 posts | 14 hours ago
2 likes

Might have been convictions covering multiple offences.

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EddyBerckx | 1399 posts | 16 hours ago
4 likes

25 convictions for 76 offences? Yeah Mr Judge, he ain't gonna "get help for his problems"

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chrisonatrike replied to EddyBerckx | 1169 posts | 13 hours ago
0 likes

True. Sadly I doubt banging him up would do much either, given our prisons. We're not noted for doing effective behaviour change. However neither do we just throw away the key, unlike e.g. the US. So he probably wouldn't be in for long enough either way.

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bikeman01 replied to EddyBerckx | 349 posts | 13 hours ago
3 likes

So did the judge impose some 'help for his problems?' I doubt he will seek it himself.

Funnyly enough the bleeding hearts always make sure they live well away from those that need the help though.

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>
> https://road.cc/content/news/drunk-claims-right-way-and-hurls-racist-abuse-towpath-289475