Hartlepool man guilty of harassment and attacking emergency worker

Daniel Auton, 23, from Hartlepool, has been held in Durham Jail since August after admitting his guilt in court.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of harassment by breach of a restraining order on August 11 and also to a separate count of assaulting an emergency worker the next day.

He appeared at Teesside Crown Court, in Middlesbrough, on Tuesday to be sentenced.

But the judge in charge of the case has adjourned proceedings until Friday, October 29, for a half-day hearing.

Prosecutor Omar Ahmad said that the basis of Auton’s plea was not accepted by the prosecution and that it would have to be set down for what is known in legal circles as a Newton Hearing to determine his level of guilt.

Mr Ahmad added that Auton had previously breached a restraining order on April 21.

Stephen Constantine, defending, said that the Crown would place it in a higher bracket for sentencing than the defence

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Paul Watson, told Auton: ”Your case cannot be resolved today

”The account put forward by you is different to that put forward by the prosecution

”It is so substantial that it will have to be resolved by a judge deciding who has got the right account.”

The full circumstances of the case will be outlined on October 29.

Auton, who lived in the town’s Coleridge Avenue before he was remanded in custody, appeared over a videolink from Durham Prison and was further remanded in custody until next month.

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