Yahoo News North Tyneside thug hit ex and said he'd snap her neck after punching through boarded up window
A thug attacked his former partner in her own home after punching through her boarded up window which he had smashed with a spade.
Lee Forrest, who had been in a long-term relationship with the victim and was struggling to deal with the fact she had ended it, went to her home on November 5 last year in the early hours of the morning armed with a spade. He smashed a panel of glass in the window and entered the house shouting and waving the garden tool.
On December 3, he returned, punching through the boarded up window to gain access, hitting her in the stomach and threatening to snap her neck if she tried to contact police.
Forrest, 33, of Sharon Close, Killingworth, North Tyneside, who has 12 previous convictions, pleaded guilty to criminal damage and common assault. He was jailed for five months but has already served the sentence on remand and so will be released. He will be subject to a restraining order.
Passing sentence at Newcastle Crown Court, Judge Robert Adams said the couple had initially enjoyed a good relationship but added: "She ended it and you struggled to cope with that.
"On November 5 in the early hours you attended with a spade and smashed the window. On December 3 you again went to the address and the window had been boarded up.
"You smashed your way through the window, punching your way through, effectively. You then pursued her, punched her to to stomach and threatened to snap her neck.
"She was vulnerable in her own home and your forced your way in and assaulted her. This is a pretty bad example of battery and is aggravated by your record."
Forrest was previously charged with other offences but they were dropped by prosecutors.
Andrew Walker, defending, said he had already served more than the maximum sentence that could be imposed for the offences he pleaded guilty to.
