Man hit teen with broom handle after threatening him on the phone

A man who hit a teenager with a broom handle also admitted to threatening him via a phone call.

Christopher Barwood, 49, of Gloucester Road, Lynn, admitted to three offences in the town’s magistrates’ court on Thursday.

He admitted to sending communication conveying a threatening message, having an offensive weapon in his possession in a public place and assault by beating.

Prosecutor Abdul Khan said that on February 6, the victim received a message from Barwood demanding that he call him.

A verbal altercation then occurred at an address, when a relation to the victim saw Barwood and parked up to speak to him.

The court heard that Barwood subsequently pulled the piece of wood out of his jacket pocket and swung it towards the teenager.

The defendant was heard saying the words “I found out what you did, you will be f*cking dead.”

The teenager, who was hit on the leg, later ran away. The police were called and Barwood was arrested.

Mitigating was Andrew Cogan, who said that the broom handle could not be classified as an offensive weapon.

“He took the weapon with him for self-defence, he has no previous convictions,” said Mr Cogan.

He explained that Barwood took an ongoing situation with the teenager into his own hands.

Magistrates decided to adjourn sentencing so that a pre-sentence report could be carried out.

Barwood will return to court on August 3 when he will be sentenced.

He was released on conditional bail with orders not to contact the victim.