Man’s leaflets falsely accused relative of being a sex offender
AMAN posted handmade leaflets through doors on a housing estate falsely accusing a relative of being a sex offender.
Wayne Boyd, 38, distributed the leaflets on the Moss estate in Macclesfield, a court heard.
The leaflet also gave the relative’s street name but the court heard that Boyd had got the house number wrong, incorrectly giving the address of a neighbour.
She and the man named in the leaflets called the police to report the leaflets. Prosecuting, Matthew Siddall told the bench at Stockport Magistrates court: “This is a very unusual section 5 case. You won’t have come across a case like this before.
“The defendant distributed some handmade leaflets around the Moss estate in Macclesfield. The leaflets were crudely made.”
Mr Siddall said that the leaflets falsely said that the man was a registered sex offender.
He said: “He gave the address of a female. She told police and was concerned her neighbour was a sex offender.
“It wouldn’t be an offence if it wasn’t for the fact he published the address.
“It’s damaging to the person at that address. [The relative] is not a sex offender.
“[Boyd] made no comment at interview but was identified by his fingerprints.”
Boyd, of St James Avenue, Gawsworth, pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour on March 1 this year.
Representing himself in court, Boyd claiming the relative had been verbally abusive towards him and posted a picture of him on the internet.
He added: “I know I’ve messed up.”
Magistrates fined Boyd £80 for the offence and ordered him to pay £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge. Boyd committed the offence while subject to a suspended prison sentence but magistrates decided not to activate the sentence as it was close to expiring.
The chairman of the bench said: “This is a very unpleasant episode.
“Handing out leaflets like that, it’s really not very nice, especially using someone else’s address.
“Now is your time to start afresh and put all this behind you.”