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Rob Kennedy

North Shields violent stalker attacked ex in front of her son and trashed their house

A violent stalker attacked his former partner in front of her son and smashed their home up in terrifying scenes.

Gary Robinson had been spared prison for harassing another ex when he went on to leave another woman living in fear.

A court heard that on September 2 last year, Robinson went to the woman's home in Seghill, Northumberland, and trashed it while she was out, causing significant damage and distress.

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Using a key he had retained after they split up, he got in and smashed items including a TV, ipads, internal doors, mirrors, crockery and ripped off a door frame. He also damaged her car.

The victim also found frightening door bell camera footage of him warning: "This is not over, watch."

Police went to his home looking for him and found five cannabis plants and a knuckle duster. He later refused to give a specimen when they caught up with him.

Matters settled down between Robinson and the woman for a time after he apologised and they started talking again.

But the 50-year-old, of Bardolph Road, North Shields, soon started being abusive again and on October 11 he turned up at her home at 4am while she was asleep.

He was shouting, telling her to hurry up and open the door and she was unsure what was happening so let him in.

It became clear he was heavily intoxicated and he refused her request for him to leave.

Instead, he went to her son's bedroom and shouted at him, calling him a "f****** c***".

Barry Robson, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "He then went to her bedroom and she told him to get out.

"The defendant started grabbing her top and she pushed him off. He fell on the mattress, causing it to slide off the bed.

"He grabbed the phone from her hand and threw it across the room and grabbed her and threw her into the bed frame, causing the slats to give way and she fell through them onto the floor."

Robinson went downstairs and the woman was crying at the top of the stairs, telling him to leave.

But he then started smashing a unit next to the front door and threw it around the house, causing more damage.

She started coming downstairs and he ran towards her, grabbed her and pushed her on the stairs, banging her head.

Mr Robson said: "He then punched her to the chest, causing pain and she screamed.

"He picked up a piece of wood from the unit and started hitting her legs."

Her son, who was unable to get down the stairs due to the debris left by Robinson's rampage, demanded to know what he was doing and his mum told him to call the police.

Robinson called them both "grassing b*******" and fled.

Over the following few weeks, he then sent a series of threatening messages and threatened to burn her house down.

The woman said: "When he has threatened to assault me or do damage in the past, he has carried out his threats.

"Because of this I believe he will carry out these threats to burn my house down while me and my son are inside.

"He says he wants me to feel his pain.

"I'm now terrified to live in my own home, so much I've moved out and I'm living out of the North East."

Robinson pleaded guilty to stalking causing fear of violence, criminal damage, producing cannabis, possessing an offensive weapon and failing to provide a specimen.

He was jailed for nine months, given a five year restraining order and banned from driving for 13 months.

The court heard he has 23 previous convictions, including for harassment of another former partner, for which he got a suspended prison sentence in February 2020.

David Callan, defending, said: "He has not had the help he needs."

The court heard he says he would not have gone through with the arson threat and has ADHD and "suspected autism".

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