Sunderland man banned from writing about wife on social media under new court ruling

Jason Jones, 47, of Border House, Houghton Road, Hetton, made several online posts in which he referenced his wife, a court heard.

They included how he planned to cover up a tattoo with her name on.

The posts came just weeks after he was spared jail for causing her grievous bodily harm in an attack on August 31 last year.

He was handed a 20-week prison term, suspended for 12 months, by a court in July.

His sentence also included a two-year restraining order which prevents him contacting her or attending any place he believes she may be.

Magistrates in South Tyneside have now widened the terms of a restraining order after an appeal to the court by his wife.

She contacted the court to complain about his social media behaviour and to request he be banned from mentioning her online.

Prosecutor Grace Taylor said the couple had been married for 20 years and had six children together.

She said that Mrs Jones had fallen backwards during the attack, injuring her back, for which she had to attend hospital.

Ms Taylor added: “The complainant has seen various posts made by the defendant on social media.

“She has expressed in her email to the court that she has been harassed and that the posts are slanderous.”

The court heard Jones was abiding by the terms of the existing restraining order.

But magistrates said Jones, who was not in court and was not legally represented, must desist from referencing her online and agreed to widen its terms.

Mohammed Ismail, chair of the bench, told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court: “Mr Jones is not to refer to her in any form on any social media platform.”

He said the new restriction would be added to the order’s existing terms and run alongside it for the remainder of the time it is in place.

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