Man’s damage at ex’s home in row

Road without her permission.

He entered unannounced through a door that had been left unlocked and started to scroll through messages on his former partner’s mobile phone.

Mr Wills said: “He found some text messages from another male which angered him.

“Miss Cockroft woke up to him shouting at her and he took his frustration out on a mirror in the bedroom, causing some damage.”

Clarke, of Howden Close in Linthwaite, then went downstairs and had damaged a television by the time she caught up with him.

Miss Cockroft told him to leave and he did so, taking the front door key with him which was later found on him by police when they arrested him.

The baker pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal damage.

Magistrates were told that he had 10 previous offences on his record, including convictions for domestic violence against his ex and his mother.

They heard that the couple had been in a relationship for five years before splitting up in March when Clarke moved out.

He left a few of his belongings at the property and had gone to retrieve these when he saw the messages from another man and became angry.

Ian Whiteley, mitigating, said: “The issues for him are trust – although checking somebody’s phone is unacceptable – and anger management, particularly in a domestic violence situation.

“He’s a hard-working individual, there’s not many people who could get up at the hours he gets up at and hold a job down.

“There’s a positive side to him, he’s just trying to sort out the issues he’s got.”

Magistrates in Huddersfield sentenced Clarke to an 18-month community order, including the Building Better Relationships programme for 33 days and five days of rehabilitation activities.

He will have to pay £215 compensation to his ex and £85 prosecution costs.