Handyman could be jailed after yelling at off-duty policeman turning in his drive

A REPAIRMAN who yelled at an off-duty policeman turning in his driveway may be sent to jail.

Marc Doran believed he was entirely within his rights to protest when he saw a car reversing on his property.

Marc Doran could be jailed after being convicted of threatening unlawful violence

So he was flabbergasted when, a few days later, four police officers arrived at his home "tooled up like Rambo" to arrest him.

It was only then Doran discovered the victim of his verbal bashing was an off-duty officer.

"It's a joke. If it was anyone else this would never have come to court," Doran said.

Doran, 41, a self-employed repair man from Bewley Lane, Plaxtol, was found guilty at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court of threatening unlawful violence. He was warned he could be sent to jail or handed a community order on May 3.

"When they found me guilty I was shocked," said Doran, who plays the sedate bowls-like sport pétanque in his spare time.

"But I thought, OK, give me the fine. Then they started talking about six months in jail – just for shouting at someone turning in my drive.

"What planet are these people on? That would bankrupt my business."

The confrontation with PC Matthew Murray happened on May 11 last year.

Doran recalls: "I was coming home and saw this man turning in my drive. I started waving my arms about because he was going to hit my Golf.

"When he stopped he was two inches from it. He drove off and I thought that was the end of it."

Doran admits that he was angry but believed he had the right to defend his property.

He hired a top lawyer for £3,500 but his request for a jury trial was refused. He branded his day-long court hearing a "sham" and is considering an appeal.

Doran added: "I work for all sorts of people and none of them can believe it. When people in the pub found out what might happen, they thought I was joking."

Kent Police Chief Inspector John Frayne said: "Aggressive and threatening behaviour is something that should not be tolerated and Kent Police investigates all allegations of this nature, regardless of who the victim is.

"Clearly the courts and independent Crown Prosecution Service have considered the evidence and decided it was serious enough to convict Mr Doran.

"He is free to appeal against his conviction if he wishes."