Swann death threats accused due to see psychiatrist before arrest

William Robert Hawkes, 44, appeared before a deputy district judge in Newtownards yesterday, charged with making a threat to kill, harassment, and improper use of a telecommunications network.

The court heard that Hawkes, from Ardmillan Crescent in Newtownards, is already facing ongoing proceedings for similar offences targeting Mr Swann.

Judge Austin Kennedy was told that the latest alleged offences, on January 22, constituted a breach of the conditions of the High Court bail Hawkes was granted last year in respect of the previous charges.

A police officer, who said she could connect Hawkes to the new charges, read out an expletive-laden post allegedly sent from a Twitter account operated by the accused.

After a 40-minute hearing at Newtownards Magistrates’ Court, the judge revoked the bail granted to Hawkes last November and also refused a bail application in relation to the new charges.

The judge branded the threats to Mr Swann as “deplorable and unacceptable”.

“It’s quite clear from the most recent tweets or communications that this behaviour has again been repeated and the threats to Mr Swann are simply and totally deplorable and unacceptable and they have to stop,” he said.

“The simplest way to stop it, in my view, is to return the defendant to custody and ask the authorities to give him all the appropriate medical assistance that is required by the defendant in the circumstances.”

Earlier in the hearing, the judge was told that Hawkes has been assessed as requiring psychiatric help.

His solicitor, Michael Brentnall, told the court that he had experienced a “psychiatric breakdown” and was due to see a psychiatrist yesterday.

He said that appointment had been “scuppered” by his arrest and charge.

Hawkes, appearing via video-link from a police custody suite in Belfast, said he had been waiting for help for many years and was “disappointed” to have been arrested just before the appointment.

“Even if they (police) had allowed me one extra day I might have been able to get some help,” he said.

“Because I don’t want to be here, I don’t know what’s going on.”

Mr Brentnall said remanding Hawkes to prison would be “kicking the can down the road” in regard to him accessing psychiatric help.

The judge said he accepted that Hawkes may need medical intervention but that he had a responsibility to ensure the alleged offending ceased.

He said the most effective way of doing that was to remand the accused in custody, highlighting that medical treatment could be accessed within the prison setting.

Hawkes was remanded in custody to appear before the court again on March 2.