Christmas bust-up led to Bulwell man threatening his partner with a kitchen knife

The relationship between Grant Michailovs (34) and Laura Jones had ‘deteriorated to an exceptionally low ebb’, said his solicitor, Rory McMillan (defending).

Michailovs was a diabetic who had been diagnosed unfit for work because of an ulcer that could have resulted in the amputation of a foot.

“This led to depression, a lack of self-worth and thoughts of self-harming,” Mr McMillan told Nottingham Magistrates’ Court.

“Things came to a head just before Christmas when he went through the preparatory stages of hanging himself.

“Only when the noose was round his neck did he realise that he couldn’t go through with it.”

However, Michailovs, a regular cannabis-user, continued to have arguments with Miss Jones at their home on Edgware Road, Bulwell, the court heard. And their clashes reached boiling point on Boxing Day in front of their baby son.

“One of the arguments was over her supposedly overloading the washing-machine,” said George Speed (prosecuting).

“As she stood in a doorway, he slammed the door shut, opened it again and then punched her four times in the left eye.

“She shouted: you’ll never see your son again after that. He grabbed a kitchen knife and as she fell over on to the dog-basket, he held it against her throat.”

Michailovs later told police: “She was constantly goading me. She made me feel like the dirt on the bottom of my shoe, and I just snapped and lost it.”

The court heard that Michailovs was so shocked by how he had reacted that he himself called the police. He went to live with his parents on Synge Close, Clifton, but he and Miss Jones remained in regular contact and now wanted to get back together.

Miss Jones, a duty manager for Iceland, was in court to support him and told the magistrates: “His behaviour was completely out of character.

“We had been together for seven years, but this has turned my life upside down. My 18-month-old son is crying for his daddy at night. I want us to get help and move forward.”

Michailovs, who pleaded guilty to assault by beating, was sentenced to 20 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months on condition that he does not commit another offence in that time. He was also ordered to take part in a Building Better Relationships programme under the supervision of the probation service.

The chairman of the Bench told him: “I cannot emphasise enough how seriously we regard what happened. We can only imagine the fear and terror felt by your partner.

“However, we have taken into account your remorse, the stress and medical problems you were suffering from and the fact that you have no previous convictions for violence.”

Michailovs was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £80.