A MAN who threatened to kill his ex-partner, and smashed up her mobile phone in an argument, has been given a restraining order.
Darren Tommy Ross, 21, of Harper Street, Driffield pleaded guilty to criminal damage and to using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or to provoke unlawful violence when he appeared at Bridlington Magistrates Court last Wednesday.
Prosecutor Jayne Wilson said that, on January 1, police were called to the home of Talissa Barlow, on Spencer’s Way, in Driffield following a verbal argument between her and her ex-partner, Ross, over the return of her mobile phone.
“She eventually managed to obtain the telephone from him and, in response, the defendant grabbed another phone, a Blackberry mobile phone belonging to Ms Barlow, and deliberately threw the phone,” Mrs Wilson said.
The court heard that the casing of the phone, which was valued at £500, was broken.
Ms Barlow then went out to the front of the property and sought assistance from someone on the driveway of a neighbouring property.
Mrs Wilson said Ross went outside and shouted “yeah go on, call the police, I’m going to kill you.”
“The defendant shouted ‘just go round there because I’m going to set fire to the house and kill you’,” Mrs Wilson said.
Mrs Wilson said Ross had accepted he had caused a disturbance. He claimed that Barlow had slapped him twice around the head and he reacted by throwing the phone onto the floor.
In a statement, part of which was read out in court, she said: “I just want this to end and for him to leave me alone. I feel that because he hasn’t assaulted me nothing has happened to him.”
Ross, who represented himself during the hearing, said: “The only reason I smashed the phone was because she hit me on the back of the head twice and I couldn’ really turn around and hit her.”
Ross was made the subject of a two-year restraining order, meaning he must not contact Ms Barlow directly or indirectly, except through a solicitor or arranged third party. He was also ordered to pay £300 compensation to Ms Barlow, and was given a 12 month conditional discharge. He must also pay £85 court costs.