A warrant backed without bail has been issued for the arrest of a lettings agent who failed to appear in court.

Gareth Wills – former director and a founder of letting agency Lewis Haughton Wills, which has branches across Cornwall – was due to appear before magistrates in Truro earlier this week in connection with a driving whilst disqualified charge. 

The local Falmouth Packet newspaper says he failed to appear, prompting the magistrates to issue a warrant backed without bail – this means that once Wills is located he can be arrested by the police, and held in custody until he appears in court.

Last month it was reported that Wills received a suspended prison sentence for making threats of violence against ex-colleagues in a series of videos and texts, some of which were posted on to social media.

On that occasion Wills pleaded guilty at Truro Crown Court to two charges of sending a letter/electronic communication/article with intent to cause distress or anxiety to his former partners and employees at Lewis Haughton Wills lettings agents in Falmouth.

Wills was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for two years for each charge, to run concurrently, and made the subject of a five-year restraining order.

It was stated in court that the row between Wills and his former colleagues centred on money, in a dispute that ended 10 successful years working together at the agency.