A 71-year-old man dubbed “Trouble with a capital T” assaulted a Cash Generator shop worker after flying into a rage over being denied a refund. Keith Saunders’ latest offence in a long list of crimes landed him in front of a judge who slammed his “appalling” record and said he was “not what he appeared”.
The former ice cream man turned up at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court to be sentenced — but it then emerged that his pre-sentence report meeting had been abandoned because he had become angry with the probation officer. “You lost your temper in the interview, which chimes with you losing your temper in Cash Generator,” said District Steve Judge Harmes. “Help me understand why you have 31 convictions, and yet you look like a perfectly normal and decent 71-year-old man.”
Saunders insisted, “I am sir,” but the judge was unconvinced, responding: “Well no, you’re a career criminal aren’t you?” The pensioner replied quietly: “Yes sir.” There was then a short break in proceedings while a probation officer made a second attempt at speaking to Saunders — this time successful — for a pre-sentence report. For the latest court reports, sign up to our crime newsletter here
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The attack took place on the afternoon of September 16 last year at the buy and sell shop in Roath’s Albany Road. Saunders, a granddad-of-two, denied abusive behaviour and assault against one of the shop’s employees but was found guilty on both counts. CCTV showed Saunders spending minutes at the counter, becoming increasingly agitated and eventually getting into a confrontation with a staff member in the middle of the shop floor. The court heard he called the transgender employee a “fairy” and could be seen jabbing his finger in her face and prodding her to the chest. Saunders repeatedly ignored requests that he leave before he finally did so.
The spark for the row, according to Saunders, was that he had been denied a refund despite having a receipt for a faulty laptop and watch that he had allegedly bought from the shop. But Judge Harmes told him: “Now you’ve lied to me. If you’d produced the receipt you’d have had a refund. Your behaviour in that video was disgusting. Do you accept that?” Saunders said he did but the judge continued: “I can see you saying yes but you don’t mean it.”
Saunders’ probation officer told the court that the pensioner had felt the Cash Generator staff were “argumentative and confrontational” which “wound him up”. The officer continued: “He denied using homophobic language. I had to explain that the staff member was trans and identified as female. Mr Saunders found this confusing. I asked about his threat to burn the shop down. He denied this as well.
“Last year he lost his wife of over 40 years to MS [multiple sclerosis] after caring for her for 10 years, which had been extremely difficult. He says the grief is all-consuming at present, and he has been very angry and frustrated, which got the better of him on the day. He is extremely sorry.”
Judge Harmes said he was “totally sympathetic” to Saunders’ loss and considered it likely he was “displacing his anger” over his wife’s death onto others. But he also noted that all of Saunders’ 31 previous convictions came before his wife died. At this point Saunders interjected to say he had been under stress since his wife was diagnosed with MS in 1988. The court heard he was a retail manager and ran a fleet of ice cream vans before his retirement. In recent years he has had two heart attacks and two strokes.
The judge shook his head as he ran through Saunders’ previous offences. “Threatening behaviour, public nuisance, threats, threats, threats, obscene and menacing communications, harassment, a suspended prison sentence. You are not what you appear when you are sitting there, a 71-year-old retired gentleman. You are Trouble with a capital T.”
Saunders, of Shakespeare Rise in Rhydyfelin, Pontypridd, bowed his head as the judge told him: “No doubt you’re still angry now because you’re angry all the time about your wife. You need to address that. She is not coming back. You know that. I’m not saying that to distress you. You need to take the advice given because you’ve got health problems that are not helped by you being angry. Which part of having two heart attacks and two strokes don’t you understand?”
Beginning to cry, Saunders said he understood. Judge Harmes continued: “Your record is appalling. You’re picking on some young trans kid calling them a fairy, you’re in their face threatening them because you think they’re not up for it.”
The judge imposed an 18-month community order with 20 rehabilitation days for Saunders to focus on his anger management and emotional wellbeing issues. Saunders must also pay £400 in compensation and £600 in prosecution costs. “If you were 45 or fully healthy you would be going to custody,” warned Judge Harmes. “Take this help and try to become a calmer person. Think about this. What would your wife want? She would want you to get help and be a good man.” In tears, Saunders said, “I am a good man,” to which the judge replied: “Well, behave like one. Prove it to me.”
Saunders’ pension provides him with £1,200 every four weeks. The compensation and costs will be paid at a rate of £80 a month. He has also been excluded from the Roath Cash Generator for two years.
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