Man charged with twice failing to appear in court fails to appear in court

Elizabeth Dinan

Sea Coast

July 06, 2009 4:09 PM

PORTSMOUTH — A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Suzanne Drive resident who failed to appear in court Monday for two counts of failing to appear in court.

Gary Isabelle, 44, of 2 Suzanne Drive, was scheduled to appear in the district court July 6 on charges alleging he previously failed to appear for a criminal loitering charge and a civil complaint alleging he failed to pay rent to his former landlord. 

For failing to appear for the criminal charge, Judge Sawako Gardner forfeited $200 cash Isabelle posted as bail following his arrest on a prior warrant. She also ordered a new warrant for his arrest and set additional bail at $500 cash. That charge alleges Isabelle sat in a parked van after dark causing public alarm.

Isabelle was also scheduled to appear in the court Monday for a small claims complaint alleging he failed to pay a former landlord $4,081.68 in rent. When Isabelle’s absence was noted, the landlord told the court he had not heard from Isabelle with the exception of two threatening emails, one of which said the landlord “should spend (his) time making sure (his) daughter is safe.”

The landlord alleges Isabelle violated his lease agreement for a Benson Street apartment by not paying rent, then “in retaliation to a demand for payment, attempted to blackmail” the landlord in an effort to get “huge deductions.”

For Isabelle’s failure to appear in the court for that hearing, Judge Gardner set additional bail at $1,000 cash.