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Jack Tweed jailed for 12 weeks for taxi driver assault
Last updated at 13:09pm on 14.04.09Jade Goody's widower Jack Tweed has been jailed for 12 weeks for assaulting a taxi driver.
Grim Faced: Tweed outside court
The 21-year-old, of Buckhurst Hill, Essex, showed no emotion as magistrates in Harlow passed an immediate term of imprisonment.
Jack, whose reality television star wife Jade Goody died from cancer last month, was found guilty of attacking Stephen Wilkins in Epping, Essex, last May following a trial at Epping Magistrates' Court in March.
His lawyer, Tania Panagiotopoulou, mitigating, told the court today he had matured since the offence.
She said Tweed "has had to mature, and mature very quickly, in the last few months."
"To say that he is a changed man since May 2008 is perhaps an understatement. He has endured with dignity and maturity very difficult personal circumstances that have been well documented.
"He is a widower at the age of 21. His previous routine of going out with his friends and getting drunk, like he did in May - all that has been replaced."
The court was told references in support of Tweed had been provided by his father, his uncle and a representative from his old school.
A Marie Curie nurse and a doctor who treated Miss Goody before her death also wrote to the court in support of Tweed.
Ms Panagiotopoulou, urging the magistrates not to impose an immediate jail term, said: "He appreciates that his past offending behaviour has let people down to a huge extent - people that matter to him. He is extremely regretful."
Yesterday, Tweed visited Goody's grave in Epping Forest. He spent around 15 minutes tidying up and said a silent prayer with four friends.
Afterwards, they watched League Two side Gillingham play Dagenham & Redbridge and had a kickabout outside the ground. After the match they retired to the King William pub in Chigwell. Tweed spent about an hour drinking shorts and mixers and at one point joked with a mystery blonde.
An onlooker said: “Jack was in a really sombre mood when he arrived but after a few drinks he lightened up. The group got chatting with this girl and they were all laughing and teasing Jack a little bit. He picked up but you could see something major was on his mind.”
Welcome distraction: Tweed chats to a mystery blonde while he has a pub lunch with friends in Chigwell
Tweed then said his goodbyes and made the short journey back to his home in time for his curfew.
Tweed is said to have decided to hide any prison sentence from Goody's sons, Bobby, five, and Freddie, four, by telling them he is going to Madagascar “to save the animals”
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Reader views (6)
And what is wrong with that Judy - you can commit a murder in this country have your identity changed and start a new life in a different country. At least he is serving his time he has no say in how long the sentance is we only know cause the papers report it otherwise you would be none the wiser!!
- Tracey, Watford
Well with the great justice systenm that we have here, he'll be oyut in 6 weeks won't he!
- Judy, London
The judge has decided his sentance not you. Perhaps our law should hand out bigger sentances to rapists and murderers hay lads, instead of not sentancing some of them at all. Our law is wrong - this cabbie only came out of the dark once he knew who Jack was mmmmm let me think he was that upset that it took him over eight months to contact the police!!! As for him not looking upset - lets think about this he has jusat buried his wife of four weeks who lost her life to cancer and he is supposed to be upset about a 12 week jail term. I think I know what I would be more upset about - he knows what he has done is wrong and he is going to serve his time.
- Tracey Harrod, Watford
Nice of the criminal justice system to finally bang this thug up after he's been allowed to freely wander the country and visit its pubs in the name of "grieving" over the past few weeks.
- Keith, Kings Cross, London, UK
Never mind, eh? What's 12 weeks? He'll soon be out and cashing in, no doubt with the indefatigable Mr Clifford in attendance.
- H, London, UK
Hello! would have told us what he was wearing.
- Roger, London, UK
