South Yorkshire man is jailed after he tried to get ex-partner's parents to drop a criminal charge

Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 14 how Jamie Osborne, 27, of Cliffdale Crescent, Worsbrough, Barnsley, admitted perverting the course of justice and subsequently breaching a suspended prison sentence.

Louise Gallagher, prosecuting, said Osborne was arrested after a drunken incident at a family party where Osborne had been accused of an assault.

She added he was released on police bail but on January 10 he sent a message to his ex-partner via Facebook asking her parents to drop the allegations against him.

The court heard Osborne had previously been given a suspended prison sentence for previous offences of assault and battery.

Osborne pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice after he had attempted to get his ex-partner’s parents to drop the latest allegation of assault.

He also admitted subsequently breaching his suspended prison sentence.

The court heard Osborne had denied the assault allegation from the party throughout and the Crown Prosecution Service chose not pursue this matter anyway.

Judge Graham Reeds QC pointed out if Osborne had not contacted his ex he would not have found himself in court because the assault charge was not pursued.

He told Osborne: “It’s a serious matter to pervert the course of justice or to try to do so. I accept there are more serious examples with intimidation and this was rather more of a request than a threat.”

Judge Reeds sentenced Osborne to six months of custody.