Northumberland man jailed for eight months after threatening ex-partner

Sam York was jailed for two years and given a restraining order which banned any contact with his former partner after he broke into her home while she was in bed then punched and bit her in 2017.

He breached the order and was jailed again, for 15 months, in 2018 when he went to her home, again while she slept, and told her "she was going to die" while he had his hands around her throat.Newcastle Crown Court heard that on June 17 York got into her home again, through an unlocked door and said he was "checking to see who is here".

Prosecutor Neil Pallister told the court: "They spoke for a couple of minutes and she states he made a threat to burn her face off.

"She believed the threat was real."

The court heard the woman managed to leave the room and dial 999 to ask for the police but had to hang up when York asked what she was doing.

Mr Pallister said the woman was "frightened" and worried she was about to be hurt again.

She said in her statement: "I was so fearful for my life I began running.

"I ran into a back lane, down an alley and hid behind a bush in someone's garden.

"I still didn't feel safe.

"I wondered if he was chasing me."

The court heard the victim rang 999 and arranged to meet her sister, who was nearby.

She said in a later statement: "I fear for my life and wish he would stop making me feel intimidated."

York, 32, of Albion Terrace, Lynemouth, admitted breach of a restraining order.

Mr Recorder David Brooke QC sentenced him to eight months behind bars.

The judge said York was "motivated by jealousy" and warned him: "You have got to get it into your head you cannot continue to harass this lady anymore."

Kate Barnes, defending, said York now has a job for the first time in a decade and the offence was an "aberration" in the good progress he is making.

She said York was under the influence of alcohol when he committed the offences.

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