A jealous Carlisle man who assaulted his ex-partner by punching and biting before trashing her home while on police bail has been given a lengthy prison sentence.
Kenny Stilgoe, 35, had been in a relationship with the woman and, on 8 December, the pair had been to a pub. After a male waved at the woman during their walk home, Stilgoe became jealous, shouted and took her phone.
He pushed her to the ground, causing no injury, but worse was to follow when they returned to her house when his erratic behaviour caused her to feel isolated and scared.
“She describes him switching between laughter and and anger, and that frightened her,” prosecutor Kim Whittlestone told Carlisle Crown Court today.
Stilgoe grabbed the woman, dragged her around her home and also punched and bit the her on the cheek, causing bruising and pain.
Stilgoe was later arrested and banned from contacting the woman as part of his bail but did get in touch before breaking into her home on 4th January while she was out.
“The inside of the premises had been ransacked and significant, deliberate damage had been caused,” said Miss Whittlestone.
A bird cage, electrical appliance, Christmas tree and wide screen television were among the items damaged and smashed. So, too, was a fish tank which had contained an axolotl amphibian, although this was rescued.
Milk had been poured over the walls, ceilings and floors of several rooms. Stilgoe was identified as the culprit after leaving a mobile phone and footprint at the scene.
He later admitted common assault, actual bodily harm assault, intentional suffocation and burglary. The court heard he had 37 past offences on his record which included eight for violence — one being an unprovoked assault on an 80-year-woman at a Carlisle bingo hall.
Stilgoe, a father of four, was said by his barrister to have expressed remorse and insight, describing time in prison on remand as an “eye-opener”.
Recorder Tony Hawks also noted he had mental health difficulties and a potentially serious medical condition.
“You are a highly jealous and possessive man,” said the judge, who called his offending “disgraceful”. “You broke into her house and trashed it; smashed it up. It is absolutely disgusting behaviour. That was her home. I don’t know what you thought you were going to achieve by doing that.”
Recorder Hawks jailed Stilgoe, previously of Wigton Road, Carlisle, for a total of 30 months and banned him from contacting the woman indefinitely.
