NOTTINGHAMSHIRE DAD OF THREE GETS 18 MONTHS FOR THREATENING EX WITH KNIFE AND HARASSMENT
A Nottinghamshire dad-of-three threatened to slice the face of his ex-partner during a terrifying 10-day spell of harassment.Nottingham Crown Court heard how estranged Matthew Stuart also monitored her movements at their family home through a Ring camera he had installed.
The 35-year-old then turned up at one of her relative’s addresses, spat in her face and told her he would “put a knife in her neck”.
In a victim impact statement, the woman described how she is now paranoid and anxious at the thought he will keep returning and doing it again.
Jailing him for 18 months, Judge Michael Auty KC stated: “On January 3, 2023, you were given a remarkable opportunity for an assault occasioning actual bodily harm with a 30-week jail sentence, suspended for 18 months.
For some time you had stayed out of trouble but then you could not resist it any longer.
“Because of a 10-day period, you bombarded your ex-partner with unwarranted and unwanted contact, sending her messages and calling her from different numbers.
While not the longest stalking period, the chilling nature of these messages was palpable.
Imagine receiving messages saying you will ‘put a back door through’ and also ‘slice your face when I turn up’.
The victim was terrified and this was an understandable response.
“Any man who treats a woman like that is despicable and deserves immediate imprisonment.” The prosecutor, Stephen Kemp, added that Stuart and the victim had been together for 16 years and had three children.
The court heard that Stuart had been handed a suspended sentence earlier in January 2023 but on January 24, 2024, he called the victim wanting to speak to their child, then turned up at her address, threw a concrete slab, and left a voice note threatening her.
Further harassment included him monitoring her through a Ring camera despite her removing them, arriving at her niece’s house, threatening to punch her, spat on her four times, and saying “I will put a knife in your neck”.
Stuart, of Osberton View, pleaded guilty to stalking, common assault, and breaching a suspended sentence order.
His former partner stated in a victim impact statement: “I fear he will always return to harm me again.” As part of his sentence, he received a lifetime restraining order not to contact her.
