Ashfield man ‘only joking’ when he told probation officer of petrol bomb threat

Robert Fieldsend made the comment in a meeting on February 6 after he was released on police bail following serious allegations made by his ex, said prosecutor Nicole Baughan.

When his probation officer said she would have to report the matter to police he said he was only joking.

Fieldsend, aged 28, was arrested in Newark on February 2 and was found with a cannabis spliff.

Ms Baughan said the offence can attract up to nine months in custody, adding: "It appears to have been motivated by revenge but minimal distress was caused because the threat was made to a third party."

Mark Stocks, mitigating, said the offence was substantially elevated because “he made a threat”.

“It was said in the heat of the moment and without thinking," he said. “He made an injudicious and silly comment.

"It is more likely to be a symptom of his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and his personality disorder.

"He had no intention to carry out the threat and there was no risk of him carrying it out.”

The court heard Fieldsend was released from prison in December 2023 and will be supervised by the probation service until June.

The 28-year-old, of Mansfield Road, Sutton, admitted making threats to destroy and possession of a class B drug when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Tuesday.

He received a 12 month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £85 and a £26 surcharge.