Woman woke up to find rifle pointed in her face

A woman woke up to find a rifle in her face then "screamed the house down". The gunman - her partner Lewis Yarnold - told her: "I've wanted to do this for a long time".

But her daughter calmed down Yarnold and police were called. The 45-year-old admitted possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and he was given a suspended sentence.

Mold Crown Court today heard that Yarnold and the woman had been in a relationship for 20 years. But he had lost his job and turned to alcohol.

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Prosecutor Emmalyne Downing said Yarnold, of Wats Road, Penyffordd, went to buy alcohol on the evening on January 24. She and her children went to bed.

Later she opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was "a rifle pointing at her face," the court heard. The defendant told her: "I have wanted to do this for a long time."

She screamed and one daughter ran into the room. Yarnold went downstairs where her other daughter calmed him down.

Yarnold told that daughter that he had been "planning this for a while" but "was not going to do it". Police were called.

Officers arrived and established the weapon had been a .22 air rifle and Yarnold was arrested.

Ms Downing said the woman knew her partner had problems and had previously tried to kill himself. He had not been taking his mental health medication.

When he is sober he is "lovely" but she couldn't cope with some of his behaviour at other times. In a statement she said she "thought for a moment she was having a nightmare and realised it was real (and) screamed the house down."

"Waking up with that gun in my face will never leave me. It was horrendous," the court heard.

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Ms Downing said she had wanted a restraining order but changed her mind and decided she no longer did as she wants to reconnect with her partner "once he has addressed his alcohol and mental health issues".

The judge His Honour Niclas Parry told Yarnold: "What an utterly terrifying, terrifying incident. She thought she was going to die.

"It must have been equally terrifying for her daughters who were in the house and heard that scream. But this is an unusual case.

"Clearly you have vulnerabilities which has affected your level of blame. Nobody recognises that more than (the victim) and despite what she was put through she asks the court to help you.

"I take the view I can help you because of the time you have spent in custody (on remand)," said the judge. He gave Yarnold a five and a half month jail term suspended for 12 months.

He must live in approved premises in Wrexham then Swansea. The judge also ordered the air rifle to be forfeited and destroyed.

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