BRYAN WILLIAM HANCOCK

DURHAM MAN WENT TO EX PARTNER'S HOME TO COLLECT BIKE

A man put himself in breach of a restraining order after going to his former partner’s home to collect a push bike, a court was told.

Police attended the property in Park House Gardens, Sherburn Village, to arrest Bryan William Hancock on September 11.

Durham Crown Court was told his ex-partner answered the knock at the door by coming to a window and telling the police outside that she had just woken up.

The officers could hear voices and two sets of footsteps inside the house, and, upon entry, the defendant was found hiding in a utility cupboard.

Durham Crown Court heard man breached restraining order while calling at ex's home to collect bike.

Emily Jo Willis, prosecuting, said Hancock’s arms and legs were up tight against the wall as if trying to “blend in”.

His ex-partner, who seemed upset, told police she did not know he was there.

Forty-year-old Hancock, of Fair View, West Rainton, admitted breach of a restraining order.

The court heard the defendant has ten convictions for 18 previous offences, including assault causing actual bodily harm on his partner, last year.

He received a suspended prison sentence for that offence, on November 6 last year, when the five-year restraining order was put in place.

Chris Morrison, for Hancock, said the defendant admitted breaching the order, “without prevarication”.

The court sentenced him to activate 26 weeks of the suspended sentence and added 12 weeks for the breach, giving a total sentence of 38 weeks.

Recorder Tom Moran told the defendant that upon his release he will still be subject to the restraining order until May 2029 and any further breaches would only land him in “more serious” trouble.