(Image: Durham Constabulary)
An immature man who could not accept a relationship break-up turned up uninvited at his ex's home with a knife.
Tyler Glease’s behaviour had become increasingly frightening after the break-up, culminating in him forcing his way into the terrified victim’s home in Pelton, in breach of a domestic abuse protection order, in January this year.
Durham Crown Court heard the teenage victim feared Glease would turn up at any time and was frightened to leave home or to stay there alone.
Prosecutor Peter Sabiston said she ended the relationship late last year and sought a domestic abuse protection order, put in place at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court on December 30, because of Glease’s behaviour.
Tyler Glease could not accept the break-up of relationship and put 'ex' through terrifying harassment campaign
But over several days in January, Glease breached the order by contacting her and turning up at her home, where he used a knife to force his way inside.
He took the keys and locked himself inside, briefly suffocated her, waved the knife around before threatening to harm himself and stab police if she called for help.
Glease eventually fled with a baseball bat, leaving the victim petrified.
The 21-year-old defendant of Beech Grove, Dipton, near Stanley, admitted harassment, between January 1 and 25, and breaching the order, but only on the day his trial was due to begin.
A statement read at the sentencing hearing described the “significant distress” Glease caused the victim.
In mitigation, Calum McNicholas said Glease had negative experiences when younger, had low educational attainment, an ADHD diagnosis and was assessed as having a low level of maturity, according to the Probation Service.
Judge Nathan Adams told Glease: “Your former partner ended the relationship a few weeks earlier and you were quite clearly not going to take that as an answer.
“You turned to very significant criminal behaviour.
“You tried to contact her and despite the order being in place telling you to stay away from her, you ignored that.
“You attended at that property when you were not permitted to be there and took a knife to help you get access and searched it, taking the keys and locking yourself in.
“You suffocated her for a short time and waved the knife around, threatening to harm yourself and threatened to stab police should they be called.
“You, eventually, took a baseball bat, and fled the property with it.
“The whole incident must have been absolutely terrifying for your ex-partner.
“The order was intended to keep her safe, yet she feared for her life.”
Judge Adams jailed Glease for three years, adding that only an immediate prison sentence could be justified.
He also imposed a 10-year restraining order prohibiting Glease from contacting his former partner or going to any address where she is staying.