Agency boss threatened team with violence

The former director of a lettings agency has received a suspended jail sentence for making threats of violence against ex-colleagues in videos and texts.

The Falmouth Packet newspaper and website reports that Gareth Davyd Wills pleaded guilty at Truro Crown Court, to two charges of sending a letter/electronic communication/article with intent to cause distress or anxiety to his former partners and employees at Lewis Haughton Wills lettings agents in Falmouth.

Wills was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for two years for each charge, to run concurrently, and made the subject of a five-year restraining order.

The row between Wills and his former colleagues centred on money, in a dispute that ended 10 successful years working together at the agency.

The court heard that Wills then descended into problems with drink and drugs.

In one video he is reported to have said: "Pay me my f****ing money or pay the consequences. Give me my f****ing money because I am as hard as the f****ing day is long, I'm f****ing hard. I'd love to fill a load of people in, I'd love to fill loads of people in and I'd love to fill you in…"

Another part went on: "…So this is for the police as well. You better f****ing get people on them, you better get police on [named person] and [named person] you better get to safety people, get police officers around their houses, because I am telling you, f****ing hell, if you don't pay me my money soon I am going to react and explode. They've got the money in that business to pay me what I want."

In addition to his suspended sentence, Wills must now complete 25 'rehabilitation activity requirement days' and is not allowed to enter specified premises in Truro, Falmouth and Penryn.

Separately, civil litigation is about to start between the company and Wills over the money he says he is owed.

You can read the Falmouth Packet’s extensive report here.