YOB WHO SHUT BRIDGE JAILED
‘Unbelievably stupid’ climb to escape arrest forced closure:
AMAN who climbed up the ironworks of the Menai Bridge to escape being arrested has been locked up.
Craig Lee Jones wiped tears from his eyes as a judge at Caernarfon Crown Court described his actions as “unbelievably stupid”.
The 31-year-old, of Orme Terrace, Bangor, was jailed for a total of eight months after admitting charges of causing a public nuisance, threatening behaviour, destroying property and breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order.
The incident, at lunchtime on Saturday, September 15, caused the bridge to be closed to traffic and paramedics, fire fighters, coastguards and an RNLI lifeboat crew were tied up for more than an hour.
Traffic was diverted over the Britannia Bridge causing massive tailbacks of traffic.
Sentencing Judge Huw Rees said: “What you did beggars belief. You have admitted being stupid and you came close to losing your life.”
The judge added: “You caused substantial unnecessary inconvenience to traffic and such was the disruption it is impossible to put a cost on it.
“Any other sentence other than custody would give the wrong message to others.”
He suggested Jones spend his time in prison reflecting on what he had done.
Paulinus Barnes, prosecuting, said Jones, his girlfriend and a child had called at the Antelope Inn on September 15 for lunch.
But barmaid Stacey Jones refused to serve him telling him he was on the Bangor Pubwatch list and was barred.
Claiming the pub was in Anglesey Jones lost his temper and slammed a door breaking a glass pane.
He threatened the barmaid and then, when police arrived, ran to the bridge and climbed over railings.
CCTV footage shown in court then showed Jones climbing up the metal chains that of the bridge to the top of a tower.
Once there he waved at police and then walked from one side of the bridge to another.
A police negotiator was called in and Jones eventually came down from the bridge.
But as police approached to arrest him he picked up a glass bottle and smashed it holding the jagged edges to his throat.
Mr Barnes said police tasered Jones and then arrested him.
Interviewed later he told officers he had climbed the bridge to get away from police.
“He said he had just wanted to go for lunch with his partner,” he added.
Defence counsel Sarah Yates said Jones now realised his actions were both stupid and foolish.
“Had he fallen from the bridge it would have resulted in his immediate death.
“He has pleaded guilty and is very remorseful,” she added.
Jones, who works at a caravan park in Llanrug, had written a letter of apology to the court which was read by the judge.