Former soldier threatened to kill ex-girlfriend
A former soldier who broke into his ex-partner's home after threatening to kill both her and a male friend has been jailed for 22 months.
Thomas Russell, 36, smashed his way through the front the door of the property in the Alford area, after his "terrified" former girlfriend rang 999 during the early hours of March 9 last year.
Lincoln Crown Court heard the woman was so frightened that she locked herself in the bathroom where she suffered a panic attack and was sick.
An impact statement from the victim was read out in court.
She described how she was told by the 999 operator to barricade herself in the bathroom.
"That 21 minute phonecall felt like hours to me," she explained, "as I braced my back against the door."
"I thought I was going to die," she added. "That night I knew I wasn't safe and that something was going to happen."
The court heard Russell had attended the property earlier in the evening in an intoxicated state.
On that occasion Russell smashed the windscreen of his ex-partner's Audi car and damaged a wooden gate.
The court was told Russell had also sent threatening messages to both his ex-partner and the man he believed she was having a relationship with.
One read: "I'm going to smash his face in at your work."
Another stated: "I'm going to kill you both."
Russell, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to affray, threats to kill and criminal damage on March 8 and 9, 2024.
Johnathon Dee, mitigating, said Russell had served in both Iraq and Afghanistan and his commanding officers spoke highly of him.
"He has been treated for post traumatic stress disorder," Mr Dee explained. "The initiative is a relatively new one for veterans."
"Although he terrified her, he did not lay a hand on her," Mr Dee added.
"He owned up to what he did and there hasn't been an inkling of any further trouble."
Passing sentence on Friday, June 13, Judge Simon Hirst told Russell his victim "must have been utterly terrified."
Judge Hirst said: "It was in her home. This has led to the loss of her home and her job."
A restraining order was also made which prevents Russell having any contact with his victim for five years.
After the trial, a spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said: “Russell’s actions were completely unacceptable and caused significant distress to his victim.
“He damaged their property and forced his way into their home - a private and sacred place.
“We will do everything in our power to bring people who commit such acts to justice and will pursue all lines of enquiry available to us.
“We’d like to thank everyone involved in this case and we hope this result brings Russell’s victim some form of closure and allows them to begin to move on.”