A THREATENING offender has been locked up after damaging property at a town centre coffee shop.

Ian Coatup has been sent to prison for his behaviours in Warrington town centre which was abusive in nature.

The 51-year-old was charged with assault, criminal damage, breach of a criminal behaviour order and two counts of threatening behaviour over the incident.

During his sentencing hearing at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Monday, May 22, he was told that he his criminal record meant that only immediate imprisonment was appropriate.

Andrew Page, on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service, told the court how all of the offences were committed on May 20.

Coatup attended Dick’s Bean Bar on Winwick Street, where he proceeded to damage property to an unknown value.

According to the charge he was convicted of, he intended to damage such property or was reckless as to whether such property would be destroyed or damaged.

He also acted in a threatening manner to an individual and a police officer with intent to cause a fear of violence, as well as alarm and distress.

While inside the coffee shop, he breached a criminal behaviour order imposed on him by failing to leave the premises immediately when asked to do so by a member of staff or security, and he assaulted a man.

District judge Paul Healey said he would take Coatup’s guilty pleas into account, however he said that the severity of the offending meant that it called for an immediate custodial sentence.

This was due to the defendant’s previous record of offending and the fact that he breached a court order.

Coatup, of Marsh House Lane in Padgate, was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison.