A former estate agent told by police they were coming to arrest him after he sent a Falmouth gym owner an "offensive" Tik-Tok post went on to breach a restraining order by posting a video on social media.
Gareth Wills was so incensed by this news of his impending arrest that he went online and posted a video on social media which broke a restraining order imposed on him for another matter.
Wills, 44, of Old Well Gardens, Penryn appeared at Truro Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with harassment - breach of a restraining order and sending an offensive communication.
However, the offensive communication charge that between March 24 and April 13 this year he sent to Andrew Bennet an electronic communication, namely TikTok post which conveyed a message which was indecent or grossly offensive for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety, was dismissed by magistrates after the CPS offered no evidence.
The CPS told the court that Wills had got into an argument with the owner of the King Gym in Falmouth over social media and allegedly sent him the offensive Tik-To post.
When the gym owner complained, the police then telephoned Wills to tell him they were going to have to come to arrest him which prompted Wills to go online and post the video on social media during which he broke the restraining order.
Wills defence solicitor told magistrates that Wills was currently unemployed but planned to be successful again as he had been in the past by setting up his own estate agency in the coming weeks.
Wills told the magistrates that he had previously been a partner in successful local estate agents but had lost his shares worth millions when he was sent to prison.
In 2022 Wills was jailed for two and a half years after pleading guilty to harassing former work colleagues and breaching restraining orders.
He was fined £120 for breaching the restraining order and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge £48.
Magistrates also imposed a new restraining order on Wills not to contact Andrew Bennett or Lora Lucia Roberts directly or indirectly, not to attend King Gym on Bickland Industrial Park, Falmouth, post any comments on social media about Andrew Bennett, Lora Lucia Roberts or King Gym Unit.
The order lasts until September 30, 2026 and was made on acquittal of the malicious communication charge.
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