An Abergavenny man has been jailed for being in contempt of court.
Stanley Mann, 66, of the town's Victoria Court, was sat in the public gallery at Haverfordwest Magistrates' Court when he aggressively shouted at a police witness during the trial of his former partner.
Mann continued to disrupt proceedings despite having been asked to sit quietly on several occasions. He was eventually removed from the court room and placed in the cells until the end of the day.
On his return to the court room, this time standing in the dock, Mann accepted that his behaviour amounted to contempt of court and apologised to the bench.
Mike Kelleher, defending, said: "He was here supporting an ex-partner of his. They were together for 17 years and she suffers with her health. This particular case has worn them both out.
"They have been frustrated and had difficulty obtaining representation at court.
"They have both been bound up in this case, so much so that he let it get the better of him, and he had a bit of an outburst when he should not have done so."
In accordance with section 12 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, the Magistrates' Court has the power to imprison any person that willfully insults any Justice, officer of the court, solicitor, counsel or witness. The maximum penalty is one month imprisonment, or a fine not exceeding £2,500 or both.
In this case Magistrates sentenced Mann to 21 days imprisonment.
The chairman of the bench, who was present during Mann's outburst, said: "You ignored four warnings in court, you talked over the chairman and seriously disrupted proceedings.
"The officer had to leave the witness stand and court had to stop. There was a degree of aggression shown in this court.
"Your attitude to the court and this behaviour cannot be condoned."
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