A man who accused another individual of robbing him at knifepoint found himself imprisoned for contempt of court after refusing to provide evidence against the accused.
Luke Richards had been scheduled to testify against the person he claimed robbed him at his residence in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in November of the previous year. However, when the trial commenced at Swansea Crown Court this week, Richards declined to enter the witness box, resulting in the prosecution being unable to proceed with the case and leading to the trial’s abandonment. As a consequence, the judge held the 23-year-old Richards in contempt of court and sentenced him to prison.
The trial of the 25-year-old accused, who allegedly robbed Richards while wielding a knife and a bottle, was slated to begin on Wednesday. However, the purported victim failed to appear in court, prompting an arrest warrant. He eventually showed up the following day but refused to provide testimony from the witness box, compelling the prosecution barrister, Ieuan Rees, to drop the charges due to lack of evidence.
Recorder Greg Bull KC found Richards guilty of contempt of court and ordered him into custody. On Friday, Richards appeared before the recorder once again, this time in the dock, where he expressed his apologies to the court. Recorder Bull inquired whether the defendant had enjoyed his night at HMP Swansea, to which Richards replied negatively.
The recorder emphasized that failing to provide evidence after lodging a complaint with the police was an “extremely serious matter.” He stated that the defendant’s actions had incurred significant expenses to the public and caused considerable inconvenience. While the recorder could have sentenced Richards to 28 days of imprisonment for contempt, he accepted the apology and ordered his release.