An obsessed thug who smashed up three cars as part of a "revenge attack" against his ex-girlfriend after he repeatedly harassed and threatened her.
Hull Crown Court heard that aggressive Craig Morley showed "complete disregard" for a court order and he haunted the woman's life and left her "completely frightened" of him. Morley, 34, of Holderness Road, east Hull, admitted breaching a non-molestation order and three offences of damaging cars. A charge of stalking was left on file, reports HullLive.
Charlotte Baines, prosecuting, said that a non-molestation order had been made at Hull County Court on July 14 after the couple's seven-year relationship ended in June last year but he repeatedly breached it by making telephone calls and leaving voice messages.
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In a telephone call on October 18, he made threats to enter her home and boot the door in and said that he was on his way. He threatened to "f*** her up" in the garden. She received 12 calls between that day and November 10.
In one message, Morley warned: "No one's ready for my next move." He aggressively tried to get into her home, rattled the letter box and shouted "Open up."
The woman returned home to find that her daughter's car and two others, belonging to neighbours, had been damaged. A hammer was found behind the driver's seat of the daughter's car. "It was a revenge attack," said Miss Baines.
The ex-girlfriend later said: "I am always on edge. I feel that Craig can't accept that I have ended the relationship and can't deal with that. I am left scared and frightened that Craig will come back. He has shown complete disregard for the non-molestation order. I am left thinking what would have happened if Craig had got into the address. I am completely frightened of Craig. Craig haunts my life. I am on edge when I leave the house."
Julia Baggs, mitigating, said that father-of-four Morley had shown a "significant degree of bravado" during an interview with a probation officer but this was because he was "utterly despondent and depressed" at the time and was "feeling helpless and hopeless" about being jailed.
"He does understand the seriousness of these charges and does understand the seriousness of the offending," said Miss Baggs. "He doesn't seek to blame anyone else."
The offences had been triggered by a dispute over contact with the four-year-old daughter that he had with his ex-girlfriend. He had three adult children. "He lost his temper and took out his anger through the messages that he sent and on property," said Miss Baggs. "He accepts that his behaviour was utterly disproportionate. He was with his previous partner for 13 years."
Morley had no previous convictions but had two cautions for assaults. He had worked as a builder and a groundworker as well as at Drax power station.
Judge Michael Fanning told Morley: "She can't sleep. She was scared of you - petrified. This piece of paper (the non-molestation order) was of no value to her. This is very serious harm, not the worst but very serious -- repeated breaches of this court order.
"There was no direct physical confrontation. The only discomfort she gets is when you are detained. Otherwise, it's just a piece of paper."
Morley was jailed for 15 months and was given a five-year restraining order. He will have to pay a £187 court surcharge. The hammer will be forfeited.
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