Chokey for Kershaw, who just wouldn’t let it lie
Words Victor Wooley
BBC disc jockey and world-music expert Andy Kershaw has been jailed after admitting repeated breaches of a restraining order which forbade him from approaching his former partner, Juliette Banner. Both are resident on the Isle of Man.
In October Kershaw was given a three-month suspended sentence for harassing Banner, the mother of his two children. He failed to learn his lesson. In December a court in Douglas heard that Kershaw had been “menacing and provocative” when he approached Banner and her new partner at Peel Breakwater on November 2.
At the same hearing Kershaw admitted sending text messages “of an abusing nature” aimed at the couple to his two children, and to being drunk and disorderly outside Peel police station on November 7. “You’re an idiot” and “you’re an arsehole” were among the insults he flung at police officers. He admits a drink problem.
High bailiff Michael Moyle sentenced Kershaw to three months for the incident at Peel Breakwater and another three for the text messages, and barred him from going within 50 yards of Banner’s address. The suspended sentence from October was re-imposed but will run concurrently.
Rather over-egging the pudding, the high bailiff declared that Kershaw’s life was descending into a Greek tragedy. “You seem hell bent on destroying yourself and you do not seem to appreciate that the author of your destruction is yourself,” he continued pompously, adding: “You are going to drive a wedge between yourself and your children if you carry on this way.”
The DJ wasn’t having it. “On the contrary, sir, my children have spent the last two weekends with me,” he replied. “They have voted with their feet.”
He then blew a kiss to his new girlfriend as he was led away to the island’s only prison.
