A MAN from Colwyn Bay has been jailed after he made threats to kill his former partner while he was an inpatient at a psychiatric unit.

Cieran Turner, 24, of Minafon, Old Colwyn, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment at Caernarfon Crown Court today (May 12).

He was also handed a five-year restraining order, having pleaded guilty to two counts of making threats to kill.

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Prosecuting, Robert Edwards told the court that, on April 1, Turner was admitted to the Hergest mental health unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor following concerns of self-harm.

On April 3, Turner received a phone call from his former partner, Alicia Lomas, who told him that she would not be permitting him contact with their 11-month-old daughter.

Soon after, he became involved in an argument with another patient, and threatened to behead Lomas and “cut off her limbs”.

He said he had previously had nightmares about killing Ms Lomas, but this later developed into a “plan”, which he relayed to two members of staff.

The “plan” involved going to her home during the night, and made references to killing other members of her family first, but not their daughter.

Turner repeated these threats in a meeting at the unit on April 4, saying that his mental illness would not be to blame, and that he would “happily take responsibility” should his “plan” be carried out.

He told staff he had been considering putting his “plan” into action following his discharge.

On April 6, Turner was released from the unit, but was immediately arrested, with a report having been made to police regarding his threats.

Ms Lomas, who was informed by police of Turner’s threats, said she has “constantly been living in fear, and looking over my shoulder” since being made aware.

She added that Turner had previously told her that he had “friends keeping an eye on me”.

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Defending, Dafydd Roberts said that Turner has used his time on remand “constructively”, and is now being medicated for the mental health issues he was suffering with at the time of his offending.

“Clearly, there was something in relation to his functioning that caused him to be detained for five days at Hergest,” Mr Roberts said.

“There must have been something that merited investigation.”

Turner has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

He had 18 previous convictions, but has accessed counselling while in custody, and has shown a “determination to make something of his life”.

Mr Roberts added: “It appears there is now, at the age of 24, some evidence Mr Turner is maturing, is understanding of his background and predicament, and is of a positive frame of mind to move forward with his life, having used his time constructively.

“There is potentially, here, a nettle to be grasped.”

With this in mind, he invited the court to issue a suspended sentence with additional requirements.

Despite this, Recorder Wyn Lloyd-Jones told Turner that, with regard to his history of convictions, he “can’t shut my eyes to the past”.

As well as imposing an immediate custodial term, Recorder Lloyd-Jones issued a restraining order upon Turner, preventing him from the following for five years:

  • Contacting or approaching Ms Lomas or her father directly or indirectly, or making reference to them on social media, except for regarding childcare via a third party.
  • Entering within 100 metres of any address where he believes Ms Lomas to be living at.

Recorder Lloyd-Jones told Turner: “You went into rather graphic detail about what you would do; they are unpleasant threats, by any stetch of imagination.

“That’s the problem with cases like this. They scare people, they undermine people’s confidence, and they create instability in life.

“She’s got responsibility for this child as well. That’s the seriousness of this kind of offence.

“I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I suspended this sentence. It (custody) has got to be immediate.”