A 55-YEAR-old Bradford man has been handed a six-month suspended jail sentence after he admitted threatening to damage his ex-partner's flat.

Hilton Banyard, of Hall Lane, East Bowling appeared before Bradford Crown Court yesterday over an incident that took place in April last year.

Judge Jonathan Rose warned Banyard, who was subject to a community order for an earlier offence when this incident happened, that he had “used your last lifeline”.

“You have escaped prison by the skin of your teeth,” the judge added.

Paul Nicholson, prosecuting, told the court that Bayard had called his daughter a number of times that evening, firstly warning that he would be heading to her mother’s flat within the hour.

“He said he was going to cause damage to the flat,” he said.

On a later call he warned he could see the flat from where he was and that “she had ten minutes to get the flat empty” before he struck.

Shortly afterwards the police were called and Banyard’s former partner was removed from the flat for her safety.

He called his daughter again and said he couldn’t see anyone moving in the flat, the court heard.

Giles Bridge for Banyard said that his client now accepted that the relationship was over and had been attempting to get on with his life since April.

He added that despite Banyard having one eye and suffering from depression, he had managed to get work as a scaffolder and moved to private accommodation.

He blamed Banyard’s record of offending on a “excessive consumption of alcohol” and said that he had taken part in an alcohol treatment programme during the community order, so his risk of reoffending had reduced.

Banyard was resentenced for the earlier offences and given an additional two months for threatening to destroy property.

The six months prison term was then suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 150 hours work for the community and complete a relationship programme.

In sentencing, Judge Rose added: “It is possible that at 55-years-old you have finally learned how to behave.”

“I assure you that this court is going to keep a watchful eye on you.”