WOODHATCH, Surrey UK — A father who set up a fake rocket launcher on a camouflaged car as a "message of love" to his two estranged children has been sentenced for causing harassment.

Richard West, 41, parked the Rover with a rocket on the roof outside his ex-partner's house in Rushetts Road, Woodhatch.

It was decorated with slogans, such as "Daddy loves you both always".

West, who has restricted contact with his two children and is a Fathers 4 Justice campaigner,argues that it was simply "a message of love" to his children.

At Redhill Magistrate's Court last Thursday, Gordon Grace, prosecuting, said West visited his ex-partner, Tracy Rowland, on October 6 last year and startled her when she returned home with West's youngest daughter and her child from her present partner.

West's other child, a son, was at school at the time of the incident.

Mr. Grace said: "She was horrified it would blow her house up and was scared for the safety of the children.

"She was panicking because she didn't know what the defendant was doing there, or what he was going to do next."

The court heard that Ms. Rowland called the police and gave them West's car registration number.

Mr. Grace said: "She tried hard to be calm so not to upset the children, but her daughter went very quiet and didn't say a word.

"Ms. Rowland went to her mother's house in Woodhatch and the girl began asking if her father would be arrested again. Her mother didn't want to lie, and said he probably would be.

"She says she and her partner were very shaken by the events, and are on edge and worried about further repercussions from the defendant."

Andrew Stephens, defending, said: "This whole incident comes out of the breakdown in family relationship.

"He has always - and still wants - contact with his children. Most of the contact he has is through presents sent to them. The last present was a toy rocket, so that is why he took a rocket there that day.

"He is a strongly committed man who has been prevented from having contact with his children. He is as committed and loving a father anyone could wish to have.

"In the eyes of the law he's done something wrong, but in his eyes he's trying to be a good father to his children."

West insists he meant no harm and was trying to communicate with his two children, with whom he allowed only indirect contact after a court order was made against him.

West, who now lives in Ottery, St. Mary, Exeter, pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing and was convicted of harassment.

On Thursday, he was sentenced to carry out 100 hours of unpaid community work and was ordered to pay court costs of £450.
 
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