By Phil Coleman

Published at 08:56, Saturday, 23 June 2012

A brother and sister who were convicted of intimidating a couple in a bid to get them to withdraw statements they made to police have been given suspended jail sentences.

A Carlisle Crown Court jury found Zoe Twentyman, 31, and her brother Matthew Young, 26, both of Selina Terrace, Maryport, guilty of the charge after a three-day trial.

The court heard there was an incident involving Twentyman and her husband Adam and Jonathon Wood and his partner Carrie-Ann Brough, in Selina Terrace, on April 12 last year.

Mr Wood called the police who subsequently took statements from him and Miss Brough.

The next day Zoe Twentyman and her brother attacked Mr Wood and Miss Brough as they got out of their car.

Young pushed Mr Wood up against the wall, telling him to drop the charges or he would pull his teeth out, the court heard.

Zoe Twentyman then appeared and grabbed Miss Brough by her throat and pushed her up against the wall too, the court heard.

The pair denied the offence but were convicted after a trial.

Passing sentence, Recorder Andrew McLaughlin accepted that the offence had been out of character.

For both defendants, the judge imposed a four-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, along with 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Twentyman must pay costs of £500 and Young costs of £1,000.

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk