Dad warned 'you just keep pushing it too far' by harassing his mother at her Sunderland home

A dad-of-five has avoided being jailed for repeatedly breaching a restraining order by harassing his mother at her Sunderland home.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Michael Tipling, 30, of no fixed abode, kept his liberty despite a court hearing he had flagrantly disregarded the two-year order.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Kathryn Meek warned any further offending would lead to imprisonment.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She told Tipling, who appeared for his hearing via video link: “This has to stop. If it doesn’t stop, then it’s prison for you. You just keep pushing it too far.

Michael Tipling, 30, of no fixed abode, kept his liberty despite South Tyneside Magistrates' Court hearing he had flagrantly disregarded the two-year order.Michael Tipling, 30, of no fixed abode, kept his liberty despite South Tyneside Magistrates' Court hearing he had flagrantly disregarded the two-year order.
Michael Tipling, 30, of no fixed abode, kept his liberty despite South Tyneside Magistrates' Court hearing he had flagrantly disregarded the two-year order.

“I’ve heard the guilty plea and that the Probation Service say there’s work they can do with you.

“There’s a suspended sentence order to do, but that’s your last chance.”

Judge Meek handed him two suspended six-week sentences, suspended for 12 months, to run consecutively.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The court heard the restraining order was imposed last September and first breached on November 18 by Tipling attending his mother’s Sunderland home, which is against its terms.

Prosecutor Jonathan Hanratty said Tipling breached it again on Thursday, June 18, and twice on Sunday, July 5.

Of the last date breach, Mr Hanratty said: “At 11.20am, he was seen sitting in her back garden. He had jumped over a 6ft fence. Her grandchildren were there.”

Mr Hanratty told the court Tipling asked his mum, whose home he cannot attend but can have contact with but not harass, if he could see his children – and was informed ‘no’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said that around an hour later she left her home and bumped into him and he again asked if you could visit her home.

And he added: “He looked angry and said, ‘I hate you, I hate you’, but asked for her phone.

“She gave him the phone and he began to walk away. She asked for it back and he said ‘no’. She got it back via a third party.”

Heather Bolton, defending, said: “The five children were his children at her home. He hadn’t seen them for three or four weeks.

“It’s a court order and I’ve told him to stick to it.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tipling, who admitted two order breaches, was ordered to a pay a £128 victim surcharge.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

We have arranged a special 20 per cent off subscription offer for people to take advantage of. Visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk, choose the newspaper title, the type of subscription and enter your details.

Thank you.