BARNSLEY MAN SENTENCED FOR HARASSMENT SLAMS POLICE MUGSHOT
A man from Barnsley who admitted to harassment expressed his dissatisfaction with a police post that used his photograph to announce his sentencing.Liam Bannister, age 21, received a nine-month suspended sentence following his convictions for domestic abuse-related conduct after he bombarded his ex-girlfriend with over 1,000 calls in just three weeks and sought to control her.
When South Yorkshire Police shared details about the case on Facebook, Bannister publicly criticized the choice of image, stating: "Anyone who knows me understands I am not the person portrayed by South Yorkshire Police.
The old photo they used was unflattering; I was on the run for a week, had no sleep, and was in a bad state." He also commented on the police post, saying: "This is true harassment; it’s unfair to present a distorted picture of me when the full facts aren’t included." Bannister added that the police’s depiction was "over-exaggerated and misleading." The court in Sheffield Crown Court found him guilty and sentenced him to nine months in prison, suspended.
After his sentencing, prosecutor Abigail Taylor commented that Bannister had engaged in a prolonged campaign of harassment against his former partner, praising her courage in reporting the abuse.
She emphasized that domestic abuse can take many forms beyond physical violence and expressed hope that the victim could now move forward, reassured that Bannister had been held accountable.
Bannister maintained that the police’s post was "over-exaggerated and deceptive," claiming that his conviction involved admitted harassment and interference with justice, and noting his suspended sentence.
--- A Barnsley man who pleaded guilty to harassment voiced his dissatisfaction with a Facebook post by South Yorkshire Police that featured his photograph to announce his court sentence.
Liam Bannister, aged 21, was given a nine-month suspended sentence following his convictions for domestic abuse offences, which included calling his ex-girlfriend over 1,000 times in a span of three weeks and attempting to control her life.
After the police shared information about the case online, Bannister publicly criticized the image used, stating that it did not represent him accurately.
He said: "Anyone who knows me knows I am not what is being portrayed; the photo used was unflattering, I was on the run for a week, had no sleep, and was in a rough state." He further commented on the police post, claiming: "This is harassment at its worst, you’re trying to make me look bad by sharing a distorted version of the truth when all the facts haven't been presented." Bannister also accused the police of "over-exaggerating and deceiving" the situation.
His conviction was handed down at Sheffield Crown Court on February 11, where he received a nine-month prison sentence suspended.
He pleaded guilty to charges of harassment and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Following the sentencing, Crown Court Prosecutor Abigail Taylor remarked that Bannister had conducted an ongoing campaign of harassment against his ex-partner.
She praised her bravery in coming forward and highlighted that domestic abuse isn’t limited to physical violence but can take many forms.
Taylor expressed hope that the victim could now start to recover, knowing Bannister had been punished.
Bannister claims that the police’s social media post was "over-exaggerated and misleading," reiterating his guilty pleas and emphasizing the suspended nature of his sentence.
