Thurrock News
Charity founder jailed for harassing his counsellor
7:40am Wednesday 22nd February 2012
A MENTAL health charity founder has been jailed for harassing a man who helped him beat depression.
David Kerr, 46, was given a 17-week sentence for sending abusive texts to Michael Parker, who used to lead drop-in sessions at Basildon Hospital for former drinkers and people with depression.
Kerr’s conviction is the latest in a line of harassment convictions which have prompted concerns about the Thurrock-based Kerrfree Charity he founded last October.
Kerrfree’s website says it supports mental health sufferers, victims of crime and the vulnerable. It was due to start drop-in sessions at churches in Basildon and Benfleet and in a community hall in Horndon-on-the-Hill last week.
These have been cancelled at short notice after Kerr, who has a long history of mental health problems was jailed.
Passing sentence, Basildon Magistrates’ Court also issued an order barring Kerr from contacting Mr Parker.
After Kerr was sent down, Mr Parker, who lives in Grays, said: “I’m concerned he will try to run groups when he is released.
“I had to ask him to stop coming to my group because of anger issues. We did not deal with anger management. He then turned his attention to me, sending letters, texts and making repeated phone calls and posting allegations about me online.”
Kerr started sending text messages to Mr Parker at 5am on February 6 – less than a month after he had been released from prison.
He was let out on licence on January 16, having been given a 16-week sentence on January 4 for harassing former girlfriend Susan Whipps and Stephen Adcock on November 12 last year.
He sent them abusive letters and repeatedly made threatening phone calls. He is still banned from contacting either of them and going to Bardfield, Vange.
Just over a month after the charity was launched, on October 5, Kerr was back before the magistrates, again accused of harassing Mr Adcock.
He admitted sending numerous text messages between October 23 and October 27 in Basildon and was given a 12-month conditional discharge with £85 costs.
A year before, Basildon Crown Court handed him an 18-month supervision order for threatening to kill Ms Whipps and her sister.
He also has convictions for threatening police officers.
Kerr founded Kerrfree after conquering the mental health issues he suffered after witnessing his girlfriend brutally attacked in the infamous 1986 Ealing Vicarage rape incident.
Kerr himself was badly beaten by the gang of thugs after they broke into the West London vicarage, in March, 1986.