Blackpool pensioner's desperate attempt to repair shattered 57-year marriage almost lands him in jail

Christopher Pohl wound down the window of his car and begged his estranged wife to "come home."

But a court heard that simple act breached a restraining order imposed on the 75-year-old, banning him from contacting his lifelong partner after he assaulted her in 2022.

A judge in Preston took pity on the Blackpool pensioner who was now said to be showing the early signs of dementia.

His estranged wife had asked the court not to send him to prison.

Instead of jailing him for the offence - which was also in breach of a suspended sentence - District Judge Richard Clews gave him two months in prison suspended for 15 months.

But he told him that, despite having been married for 57 years, he had to now "let go."

"No court would want to send a man of your age to prison," said the judge.

READ MORE: Man who squeezed girlfriend's throat during drunken argument jailed.

"But let me tell you in no uncertain terms that if a court feels it has to do it it will.

"Older men (than you) have been sent to prison by this court."

Pohl, of Maxwell Grove, Blackpool, admitted breaching the order which happened when he spotted his wife while he was driving down Dutton Road in the resort.

Barrister Richard Flook, prosecuting, told the court Pohl followed her and then parked alongside her, wound down his window and shouted "Come home."

"That was it," said Mr Flook. "He says he wanted to tell her to come home. She had not encouraged him to make contact."

In a statement read out in court, his ex-wife urged the judge not to send him to prison as it would not only affect his medical condition but also upset her.

"She doesn't want him to go into custody," said Mr Flook.

Daniel Harman, defending, told Judge Clews: "They were married for nearly 60 years.

"It must almost be like having a limb removed after that length of marriage.

"He (Pohl) has seeming onset of vascular dementia which will only get worse. It may go some way to explain his bizarre behaviour that day."

Mr Harman said Pohl had other health issues and was awaiting a heart operation.

"Medically he is in a very bad way. He is becoming very confused. He says he was incredibly stupid for what happened."

The court was told the restraining order and suspended sentence were imposed in April 2023 and the breach happened five months later.

Judge Clews told him he was not "on this occasion" going to send him to prison, but if he breached the suspended sentence again the court might have little alternative "whatever your state of health" to jail him.

"I appreciate, of course, that after a 57-year-old relationship, which no doubt was very loving for most of the time, it is very difficult to let go. But you must do that if you want to stay out of prison."

Judge Clews also imposed a £250 fine.