A man smeared his own poo on his partner’s car and driveway before telling her that he had been “caught short”.
Jonathan Roberts, 58, defecated on the woman’s property during a six weeks campaign of harassment.
The week a court heard how he had previously assaulted the woman and left her unable to breath.
Joseph Hedworth, prosecuting, told the court how the pair had been in an on-off relationship for around 15 years.
He said that Roberts would tell her that she was “la la” and “loopy loop” and would make derogatory comments to her about her seeing her children.
Mr Hedworth told Teesside Crown Court that the defendant was drunk and on the phone to his 18-year-old son on October 9 last year.
He said the woman made a comment about Roberts talking to him like a child and he became annoyed and told her “don’t you ever say anything about my son”.
A few hours later, Roberts lashed out at her, without provocation, while they were in her kitchen together, according to Teesside Live.
Mr Hedworth told the court: “The defendant used his hand or arm to press against the complainant’s throat, she could not breath. He then hit the complainant and she ended up on the kitchen floor.
“He pushed down on the complainant’s chest with his foot. She said she could not breath and he let go.”
He said the woman suffered bruising and told the defendant ‘I hope you’re happy with your nights work’ to which he replied ‘you shouldn’t have said what you did.”
When the woman told him she wanted some more time out from the relationship, Roberts continued to harass her.
The court in Middlesbrough heard how he was spotted climbing over her garden fence on October 12 and damaged her door and letter box with a spade on October 13.
On October 14, the woman called the police after receiving a text from her neighbour informing her that Roberts was in her back garden and he appeared to be drunk.
Mr Hedworth said the victim believed he had left when she returned home but he began shouting through her letter box “let me in or I’m going to smash your car up”.
He said that when police officers arrived at her home, Roberts told them “Ok let’s rock and roll” and he was arrested.
Roberts returned to the woman’s property on October 19, knocked on her front door and asked to enter the property.
She ignored the door and was “horrified” to see what appeared to be human faeces on the drive way and the car number plate.
The prosecutor said the woman text Roberts saying “I can’t believe you sh** on my car”, to which he replied “I have been caught short”.
Roberts was arrested again and told officers he hadn’t attended the address but may have passed on a short cut to the hospital.
Mr Hedworth said: “He accepted that he defecated on her drive but it was not intentional.”
The court heard how the victim received approximately 60 messages from Roberts and a call when she was at work.
During his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Roberts appeared in court via a video link to Durham prison.
The woman, who was sitting in the public gallery, chose to read her victim impact statement out to the court.
The victim explained how Roberts would get to her by targeting her children and her mental health.
She said he would say she was “f***ing mad”, “barking mad”, a “fruit loop”, “not all there” and “had a screw loose.”
The woman said he called her daughter “the puppet master” and would refer to her children as “clowns”, “weirdos” and “pr***s”.
She said Roberts was also seeing another woman for many years during their relationship and he would flit between them, depending on who he wanted.
The victim told the court: “I am damaged goods, I have no confidence in speaking to people, I have lost so many friends and at times my family gave up on me. I feel totally isolated and so alone.
“I will do what it takes to get better and try to understand what is normal in a relationship and what is not. But for now I need time to heal and reflect.”
Roberts, of Stanhope Road South, Darlington, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and harassment at a previous hearing.
Kelleigh Lodge, defending, told the court that Roberts is remorseful for his actions.
She said: “He is genuinely sorry for that. It would appear, after the initial assault matter, he’s struggled to come to terms with the break down in the relationship which led to the stalking offence.”
Ms Lodge urged Recorder Aisha Wadoodi to consider suspending his prison sentence as there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and punishment for him in the community.
She said: “He fully accepts that the case does pass the custody threshold. He does hope that your honour can potentially consider other options to an immediate sentence.
“He fully accepts the relationship is over and there’s no future contact between the partners.”
The barrister added that he had spent a period of time in custody for the first time and the conditions are now harder due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Recorder Wadoodi told Roberts “She described herself as ‘damaged goods’, no confidence in talking to people and feels totally isolated and alone. She describes the way she felt when you called her ‘mad’ and ‘loopy’.
“This offence was committed in the domestic context, I bear that in mind. I also bear in mind your personal mitigation. I bear in mind there’s been a number of personal difficulties.”
She sentenced him to 14 months behind bars and handed him a indefinite restraining order against the woman.
Recorder Wadoodi also ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £156.
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