Man jailed for ‘campaign of abuse’ against former partner

A railway worker repeatedly breached a restraining order imposed after he turned up at his ex-partner’s home armed with a cosh and knuckle duster.

Andrew Egan, from Pontypridd, called his former girlfriend more than 50 times in three days, confronted her at her place of work in front of colleagues, and followed her home.

Sentencing him at Cardiff Crown Court, Recorder Nicholas Gareth Jones described the offending as “a campaign of abuse and harassment”.

Nik Strobl, prosecuting, said the defendant was given an eight-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, in April last year for assaulting Jodie Evans.

The court heard he turned up at her home with a cosh and knuckle duster and made threats to kill. He assaulted her but did not use the weapons.

Prosecutors said a restraining order was made to stop him from contacting her directly or indirectly.

Mr Strobl said the first breach happened on March 6 when Egan sent her an image of a bottle of whisky and a rope saying: “Only want to say goodbye.”

He breached the order again less than a fortnight later by following her home, knocking on the door, and speaking through her letter box.

She received 52 missed calls from him between March 17 and March 20.

Egan was interviewed by the police and admitted knowingly breaching the restraining order.

The 33-year-old from Cwrt Glyndwr in Pontypridd admitted harassment and four counts of breaching a restraining order.

Egan was jailed for 12 months and the restraining order will remain in place.