A MAN who threatened a witness in a criminal trial for an alleged knife attack has been handed a community penalty.

Jonathan Simmonds of Cherry Tree Way, Witney, stood trial at Oxford Crown Court in January having denied one count of wounding with intent, another of unlawful wounding, and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intimidation.

The alleged violence was claimed to have taken place during a house move at his Witney home in which another man, Andrew Betts was helping the victim of intimidation, Dawn McMillan move out.

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Prosecutors had claimed that the 54-year old had ‘slashed’ Mr Betts with a knife before punching Ms McMillan.

At the end of that case jurors found him not guilty of any violence but guilty of intimidation of Ms McMillan.

Simmonds had sent her threatening messages on social media and also made threatening comments while they were both at a police station.

Prosecutor Jonathan Stone said that messages sent to Ms McMilan made her feel ‘threatened and petrified’ and while at the police station he starred at her and told her ‘you are going down’.

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At his sentencing hearing yesterday defence barrister Peter Du Feu said that since his client had been on remand for the last four months he had made good progress inside.

He added that Simmonds, who had a drink and drugs problem at the time of the offence, was committed to combating it.

Sentencing, Judge Zoe Smith said that the offence was so serious it had to be met with a custodial punishment, however it was one she could suspend.

Simmonds was handed an eight-month jail term, suspended for two years and made subject to a community order which will include nine months drug rehabilitation requirement and 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement.

He must also pay a victim surcharge.