Nottingham City Council -v- Mr Steven Walker

County CourtCommittal for Contempt of CourtOrder

Claim number: K11NG078

In the County Court at Nottingham

27 March 2025

Before:

His Honour Judge Jonathan Owen

Between:

Nottingham City Council

-v-

Mr Steven Walker

Order

Before His Honour Judge Jonathan Owen, sitting in the County Court at Nottingham, Nottingham Justice Centre, Carrington Street, Nottingham, NG2 1EE, on 27 March 2025.

Upon:-
(1) In this Order, the following definitions applying:-
(a) “The Claimant” is Nottingham City Council;
(b) “The Defendant” is Steven Walker (who has previously confirmed his date of birth to be 4 March 1980 and gave his address on 3 March 2025 as being 22 Holbrook Court, Clifton, Nottingham NG11 9GF); and
(c) “The Parties” are the Claimant and the Defendant together;
(2) Hearing the solicitor for the Claimant (Ms. Kirsty Gregson) and counsel for the Defendant (Ms. Danielle Gotts St. Clair);
(3) The Defendant not attending;
(4) The Court refusing the Defendant’s oral application to adjourn today’s hearing made by counsel on his behalf (“the Defendant’s Oral Application to Adjourn”);
(5) The Court hearing mitigation on the Defendant’s behalf;
(6) The Court determining, for the reasons given in its oral “ex tempore” judgment (“the Judgment”):-
(a) To reduce the sentence imposed by the Form N603 Order on determination of proceedings for contempt of court of District Judge Wylie, sitting in the County Court at Nottingham, dated 7 October 2024 (“the Form N603 Order dated 7 October 2024”), to an Order that the Defendant be committed to prison for a period of 57 days, and to activate that sentence with immediate effect to a sentence of immediate imprisonment (“the 57 Day Activated Sentence”);
(b) To impose, in respect of the contempt of Court detailed in Schedule to the Order of His Honour Judge Jonathan Owen, sitting in the County Court at Nottingham, dated 3 March 2025 (“the Order dated 3 March 2025”), an Order that the Defendant be committed to prison for a period of 10 days (14 days less credit of four days being given for the time spent in police custody on 22 January 2025 and 23 January 2025 in this matter) (immediate imprisonment) (“the 10 Day Consecutive Sentence”), to run consecutive to the 57 Day Activated Sentence;
(c) In the circumstances set out above, to impose an overall Order that the Defendant be committed to prison for a period of 67 days (immediate imprisonment) (“the Total 67 Day Sentence”); and
(d) To discharge the Form N603 Order on determination of proceedings for contempt of Court of District Judge Nicolle, sitting in the County Court at Nottingham, dated 30 January 2024 (on the basis that there is no further current suspended sentence in this matter, with the only current sentence, whether active or capable of being active, being the Total 67 Day Sentence); and
(7) The Court issuing separately:-
(a) A Form N603 Order on determination of proceedings for contempt of court of today’s date (“the Form N603 Order dated 27 March 2025”) for the Total 67 Day Sentence; and
(b) A Form N604 Warrant of committal of today’s date (“the Form N604 Warrant dated 27 March 2025”) in respect of the Total 67 Day Sentence;

IT IS ORDERED that:

  1. The Defendant’s Oral Application to Adjourn is refused.
  2. The sentence imposed by the Form N603 Order dated 7 October 2024 be reduced to an Order that the Defendant be committed to prison for a period of 57 days, with such sentence to be activated with immediate effect to a sentence of immediate imprisonment (the 57 Day Activated Sentence).
  3. In respect of the contempt of Court detailed in Schedule to the Order dated 3 March 2025, the Defendant be committed to prison for a period of 10 days (immediate imprisonment), to run consecutive to the 57 Day Activated Sentence (the 10 Day Consecutive Sentence).
  4. The Form N603 Order dated 27 March 2025 be issued in respect of an overall Order that the Defendant be committed to prison for a period of 67 days (immediate imprisonment) (being the combined effect of paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Order above) (the Total 67 Day Sentence).
  5. The Form N604 Warrant dated 27 March 2025 be issued in respect of the Total 67 Day Sentence.
  6. Pursuant to Rule 81.9(3) of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (“CPR”), the Claimant shall personally serve copies of (a) this Order, (b) the Form N603 Order dated 27 March 2025 and (c) the Form N604 Warrant dated 27 March 2025 upon the Defendant.
  7. The Claimant shall, within two days of effecting service pursuant to paragraph 6 of this Order above, file a fully completed and signed Form N215 Certificate of Service in respect of the same.
  8. A transcript of the Judgment is to be obtained on an expedited basis and at the public expense and uploaded onto the Judiciary website.
  9. The Defendant do pay the Claimant’s costs of the Form N600 Contempt application dated 11 February 2025 summarily assessed in the sum of £2,500 by 4pm on 10 April 2025.