A WOMAN from Anglesey who accused a witness of telling “lies” and told him to “be honest” has been spared jail.

Ava Jones, 46, of Wesley Street, Amlwch, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for a year-and-a-half, at Caernarfon Crown Court today (September 28).

She was found guilty after trial of intimidating a witness.

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Prosecuting, Karl Scholz told the court that, in October 2021, Eddie Gardner saw an altercation between Jones and Stacey Fisher.

Although Mr Gardner and Jones did not know each other at the time, she later became aware, after her arrest, interview and release on bail, that he had witnessed the incident.

Jones later made Facebook posts which referred to her ongoing case, before referring to Mr Gardner and two other witnesses as “false witnesses who told stories that aren’t true”.

She then sent a message and made a Facebook call to Mr Gardner, suggested that what he had said were “lies”, adding that “lies will be uncovered”.

In addition, Jones suggested that he Mr Gardner have been under the influence of drugs at time of the incident, and “urged him to be honest”.

Mr Gardner then gave evidence at her trial, saying he was in bed when he saw Jones’ missed call, and that her contact made him feel “intimated”.

He said he felt she was trying to get him to “change his story”, and was upset by her reference to drugs, which he took to be an accusation against him.

In a further witness statement, he said her contact had “annoyed, upset and angered” him.

While giving evidence at a trial, Mr Scholz said, Mr Gardner became “somewhat emotional”.

Jones was arrested again in February 2022, and accepted making the Facebook posts, but could not remember directly messaging or calling Mr Gardner, and denied meaning to intimidate anyone.

Her only previous convictions were for motoring matters more than 15 years ago.

She was on police bail at the time she made the Facebook posts, and was “clearly under the influence of alcohol” when doing so.

Defending, Richard Edwards said she is “genuinely remorseful” and “wasn’t thinking straight” following the initial altercation.

He said she “didn’t appreciate the significance” of her contact with Mr Gardner, but “now understands the impact of it”.

She has not re-offended since, and so Mr Edwards asked if the court could refrain from imposing immediate custody on her.

Sentencing, Recorder Greg Bull agreed to suspend Jones’ jail term for her “serious offence”.

Jones will complete 15 days’ rehabilitation activity requirements, and was handed a five-year restraining order prohibiting her from contacting Mr Gardner.

She will pay £500 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service, as well as a statutory surcharge.

Recorder Bull told her: “I accept that this was an act committed rashly, in the heat of the moment… (but) he felt genuinely intimidated.”