A DAD-OF-TWO, high on a cocktail of cocaine and alcohol, threw a brick through the front window of his ex-partner’s home - narrowly missing one of his children.
And when a woman neighbour came out and challenged Mathew Wallace about his behaviour he threw a brick through her window and attacked her.
“He grabbed her and put his hand around her throat. This caused her difficulty breathing for a moment. He then tried to punch her and missed,” said Callum Ross, prosecuting.
Wallace fled from the scene at an address in Rock Ferry and threw away a kitchen knife which was recovered by police.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today (Tuesday, March 28) that ten hours later, at 7.50pm he returned to the road and was spotted on CCTV in an alleyway, with another kitchen knife, standing behind the home of his ex-partner.
Mr Ross said that police again attended but were unable to locate him or the weapon. When later arrested and interviewed he made no comment.
In an impact statement the next door neighbour, said that as a result of the incident on June 18 last year her mental health had been “massively” impacted.
“As a result of everything that happened I feel extremely vulnerable and scared about what might happen in the future.”
She said she felt uneasy and feared for the safety of herself and her family. She had also had to spend £200 on getting her window repaired and was considering installing a home security system.
33-year-old Wallace, of Juliet Avenue, Higher Bebington, was jailed for a total of 12 months.
He had pleaded guilty to two offences of possessing a bladed article and damaging the neighbour's home. He denied intentionally strangling her and damaging his ex-partner's home and was convicted by magistrates in his absence when he failed to attend.
Wallace appealed against the strangulation charge but the conviction was upheld, said Mr Ross.
Sentencing the defendant, who has 22 previous convictions including a burglary conspiracy in 2016, the judge, Recorder Michael Armstrong said that the knife involved in the initial offences caused “a risk of serious disorder in the volatile situation you yourself had created.”
He said that returning to the scene was “a serious aggravating factor”. He had been under the influence of drink and drugs when he threw a brick through his ex-partner’s window “narrowly missing your own child and knocking over the television.”
Simran Garcha, defending, said that he had not brandished the knives or intended to use them and took full responsibility for his actions.
She said: “He is ashamed and contrite and is genuinely sorry to both women. On June 18 he had failed to consider the consequences of his actions and behaved rather recklessly.”
Ms Garcha said that he also realised by throwing the bricks he could have injured someone including his own children, who are aged two and 12.
After his release from his last sentence in 2019 he was doing well and running a carpentry and roofing business employing two people but it all ended last June after his “moment of madness.”
“Since the offence last summer he has been drug and alcohol free,” said Ms Garcha.
She added that he used to help the homeless in Liverpool and had spent Christmas Days with his partner feeding the homeless which gave him a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
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