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Stockton pair left woman terrified

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July 29, 2016
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TWO friends who terrified a woman in her home as they angrily went in search of her new lover were locked up today.

The victim’s former boyfriend, Mark Trippett, was jailed for two years, and her cousin, Gary Skerritt, received 12 months.

Both men admitted affray in the early hours of November 26 last year, and Trippett also pleaded guilty to common assault.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the pals forced their way into frightened Donna McKie’s home in Stockton at 1.30am.

They were said to have been looking for Miss McKie’s new partner, and shouted threats at her, prosecutor Oliver Thorne said.

Trippett, 28, followed the householder outside when she tried to leave, and grabbed her after pushing her against a wall.

Skerritt, 24, grabbed Miss McKie’s mobile telephone and smashed it when she tried to call the police, Mr Thorne told the court.

The court heard that Skerritt has previous convictions for dishonesty, drugs, motor vehicle offences and disorderly behaviour.

He was the subject of two separate conditional discharges for damaging property at the time of the offence against his cousin.

Nigel Soppitt, mitigating, said Skerritt was often used as “the referee” in disputes between his friend and Miss McKie.

“He became involved time after time after time in their feuds,” said Mr Soppitt. “He was asked to go along on this particular occasion to play referee.”

Paul Abrahams, for Trippett, said he now realises the fear he caused his ex, and is sorry, although she was never his intended target.

“He knows he behaved in a wholly inappropriate way towards her,” said Mr Abrahams. “He seems to have realised the distress it was causing, and left.”

The court heard that Trippett was in breach of a suspended prison sentence from July last year for burglary when he caused the affray.

Trippett and Skerritt, both of Campbell Court, Stockton, will have the time they have spent on remand since their arrest taken from their sentences.

Skerritt told Judge Brian Forster, QC, in a letter that he hopes to settle with his partner on Tyneside and get a cleaning job with his father.

Northern Echo

‘I’m not right wing’ claims knuckleduster-carrying man with EDL neck tattoo

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July 29, 2016
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But Cleveland Police questioned in court over claims Mark Trippett was only stopped because he had a far-right group’s shirt on

Mark Trippett, 35, of Carisbrooke Avenue, Middlesbrough, stopped by police and found carrying a knuckleduster

Mark Trippett, 35, of Carisbrooke Avenue, Middlesbrough, stopped by police and found carrying a knuckleduster

A man wearing a T-shirt seemingly proclaiming him to be a far-right group’s “soldier” was nicked after police caught him with a £1.50 knuckleduster.

Officers stopped Middlesbrough’s Mark Trippett while he was wearing a “right wing” North East Infidels shirt.

However, Trippett – who has EDL tattooed on his neck – insist he doesn’t share their views.

And he’s been spared prison for carrying the knuckleduster after a judge heard there was “no reason” to stop him, other than for his shirt.

Police used stop and search powers as Trippett walked along Corporation Road in Middlesbrough on July 16.

Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday that he had forgotten it was there.

“He said he didn’t intend on using it and it was a daft mistake,” added the probation service.

He handed the knuckleduster straight to police, with his solicitor adding it had been a “serene” incident.

“There were no threats to police and he handed the weapon straight over,” he said.

“Perhaps it was a macho thing at the time, and it wasn’t thought through.”

Trippett, 35, of Carisbrooke Avenue, Thorntree, had been wearing the North East Infidels shirt – emblazoned with the word “soldier” – when he was arrested.

The group marched alongside EDL and National Front members in Stockton last year.

The Teesside branch claim on Facebook the group is a “family”, but in court they were dubbed “right wing”.

However, Judge Martin Walker questioned if Cleveland Police had simply targeted him because of his shirt, with the court hearing there had been “no disorder” in the area to warrant stop and search laws being deployed.

Tracksuit-clad Trippett had pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, which he claimed he’d bought for £1.50.

Judge Walker warned the offence would almost always carry a jail term.

But he instead handed him a one-year community order, but not without dishing out a dressing down.

“Certainly (the knuckleduster) is only used to cause serious harm to another human being,” added Judge Walker.

“That is what the knuckleduster is for – to enhance the power of the fist.”

Cleveland Police declined to comment. The weapon will be destroyed.

Gazette Live