Whitehaven 'nuisance' jailed for assaulting three women

Carlo Bone was intoxicated when he committed the assaults, Carlisle Crown Court was told

A town "nuisance" who assaulted a shop worker and two other women has been jailed.

Carlo Bone, 36, was described in court as being a "perpetual thorn in the side of the people of Whitehaven".

He lurched towards the female employee in July, and two months later grabbed a woman in the street and made an attempt to snatch another's handbag.

Bone, of Queen Street, admitted three common assault charges and was jailed for 19 weeks.

The assaults had put him in breach of a suspended jail term for assaulting a police officer in 2020, who believed Bone was going to spit at him after claiming to be "coronavirus positive".

'Completely terrified'

Carlisle Crown Court heard Bone committed the first offence in B&M Home Store on 29 July while "under the influence".

He became angry when asked if he intended to pay for a packet of chicken he was eating, and then lurched towards the employee and said: "Watch yourself, I'm going to smash your head in."

The woman was left needing stronger medication for anxiety and escorts to her car after shifts, the court heard.

On 9 September, when he was again intoxicated, Bone committed assaults on two lone women in Whitehaven town centre. He walked up to one and made a grab for her handbag, leaving her "alarmed and distressed".

He then approached a second woman, grabbed her arm and pulled her in the opposite direction.

Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson said she was left feeling "completely terrified".

Jailing Bone, Judge Richard Archer said: "These offences in particular were committed against a background [of concern], of which you must be aware, for the safety of lone females who are approached by males on the street or going about their lawful business."

Bone was also handed a criminal behaviour order.