Kirkby man jailed for visiting ex-partner’s road where she lives in fear of him

Nottingham Crown Court heard James Lancashire entered the street in Warsop on May 31 and June 2, just two-and-a-half months after the two-year restraining order was imposed and he was made the subject of a suspended sentence.

Dawn Pritchard, prosecuting, said Lancashire remained silent when interviewed by police, but his ex-partner described herself as ‘living in fear’ and said the thought of seeing him again made her ‘not want to leave my house’.

In a statement, his victim said: “He has no respect for any orders imposed by the court. I feel I will likely have to leave my house and uproot my life.”

Mrs Pritchard said 30-year-old Lancashire has ‘an extensive record,’ with 28 previous convictions for 48 offences, dating back to 2007 – he received a two-year sentence as a ‘third-strike burglar’ in 2010.

Lancashire, of Beacon Drive, Kirkby, admitted harassment.

Bianca Brasoveanu, mitigating, said he didn't seek to contact her and was only visiting a friend who lives on that road.

“His best mitigation is his early guilty plea,” she said.

Judge Stuart Rafferty QC told Lancashire the suspended sentence was imposed because ‘you were spying on her, going to her house, smashing an entrance and damaging property which affected the family unit’.

He said: “At the same time, you were being dealt with for failing to comply with a previous restraining order.

“You weren't thinking or you did not care. You have been to prison many times. It seems to have had no effect on you.

“What possible confidence can I have that you won't breach the order again? You have run out of road – I see no reason why the suspended sentence should not be activated.”

He added six months to the sentence, taking it to 18 months in total, and said Lancashire will serve up to half in custody.

Lancashire was also banned from entering Warsop ‘for any purpose save for an emergency that has been previously notified to the police’, while the restraining order was extended from two to five years.