TV star sentenced for Royal Mail postie robbery attempt

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A MALMESBURY TV star who terrified a postman during an attempted robbery and assaulted a 90-year-old woman has been given a suspended sentence.

Inventor Thomas Lawton, known for starring in the Channel 4 series Tom’s Fantastic Floating Home, was found guilty on February 12 of attempting to rob the postman in Malmesbury last summer after a trial.

Lawton had also pleaded guilty to common assault and criminal damage, as well as two counts of common assault of an emergency worker and one count of criminal damage to property.

The postman had parked his Royal Mail van outside The Light in Bristol Street in Malmesbury and was delivering parcels when Lawton approached on August 2 last year.

Lawton attempted to open the van door, at which point the victim challenged him.

He then demanded the postman hand over his phone and keys.

Lawton made threats of violence towards the victim, causing him to run away.

He then chased the postman, who was eventually able to run back to the safety of his van.

Lawton also assaulted a 90-year-old woman and two emergency workers on August 2.

According to BBC reporting, a statement by the postman was read out at Winchester Crown Court on Wednesday, April 15.

The postman said he was ‘completely scared’ during the incident and had to be signed off work because of stress.

In addition, the daughter of the 90-year-old woman told the court her mother became ‘anxious and confused’ following the incident and was fearful Lawton would turn up on her doorstep.

Judge Feest KC told Lawton: “Your actions impacted a lot of people.”

However, he also said the day was ‘entirely out of character’.

The court heard Lawton had made attempts to apologise to his victims and had ‘suffered an episode’ which led to his behaviour.

“I remember the references I read from the local MP, from other upstanding members of the community,” Judge Feest told Lawton, who was 49 at the time of the hearing.

“I know the good work, artistic and otherwise, you have done for the community.

“I accept your genuine remorse and your apologies to those people.”

For attempted robbery, Lawton was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years.

The requirements of the suspended sentence order were 150 hours of unpaid work and a 30-day rehabilitation requirement.

A restraining order and compensation order were also made.

For two counts of assault by beating, Lawton was given concurrent sentences of two months in prison suspended for two years.

For a count of common assault, he was given a concurrent sentence of three months in prison suspended for two years.

For two counts of common assault of an emergency worker, he was given concurrent sentences of two months in prison suspended for two years.

No separate penalty was given for two counts of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000.

The award-winning inventor is known for creating the moving Wonder sculpture for Malmesbury Abbey in Gloucester Street.

He also appeared as a judge on My Genius Idea, a CBBC show from 2010 which searched for the next generation of inventors.