A farmer threatened to shoot a teenage boy he caught outside his daughter’s bedroom, a court has heard. Stephen Smith, 60, woke to find the teenager in his home, after his daughter invited him over, at around 3.40am on July 13, 2024. Smith told the boy to leave, which he did, but the father-of-three, who lives in Studland, Dorset, said he had expected to be contacted later with an apology, but never was.
The following evening, on July 14, the 60-year-old had been drinking when he drove his tractor over to the teenager’s house and threatened to “get my gun and shoot you all”. Several neighbours witnessed the incident and the police were called at around 11.30pm. Smith pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive words or behaviour and possessing ammunition for a firearm without a certificate at Weymouth magistrates’ court, The Telegraph reports.
Ian Daly, defending the 60-year-old, said Smith had “certain values” and would “very much have appreciated an apology” from the boy.
He only realised that the teenager had “been invited by the daughter to go out together to watch the sunrise” after he left, it emerged.
Mr Daly said his client “thought perhaps the intentions of this young man were something other than that”.
“He is very much old school, he has certain values and would very much have appreciated an apology,” Mr Daly added.
The court heard that the 60-year-old, who has run Manor Farm in the Dorset village for 33 years, watched England lose at the European Championships football final at the pub on the evening of July 14.
He then mounted a large tractor with a trailer attached and drove it to the teenager’s house.
Prosecuter Laura Lohk said he was confronted by the boy’s mother, before shouting: “Get the f*** out of my way. F*** off b*tch.”
Ms Lohk said the mother also testified that Smith “shouted at her and her son” and said: “I should have shot him. F*** it, I’m going to get my gun and shoot you all.”
Mr Daly said Smith had “no access” to the air rifle and two shotguns at the farm because he “did not have a key to the gun cabinet”.
“When the police tried to remove the guns, it took them approximately 20 minutes to do so,” he added. “There was no prospect at all of what was said ever being carried out … It was an unpleasant incident, which he deeply regrets and was entirely out of character. He is well respected in the community.”
District Judge Orla Austin ordered the 60-year-old to carry out 80 hours of unpaid community service and pay £85 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
She told Smith: “Clearly, this was a disgraceful incident. They must have been frightened. The words you used were very frightening and they did not know whether you intended to carry out the threat you made.”
