"Cruel and heartless" South Yorkshire man smashed up pregnant ex's flat

Sam Marshall was jailed for 16 weeks after assaulting the woman in January 2020, and banned from contacting her for three years, said prosecutor James Baird.

After his release he returned to Rotherham and bumped into the woman, who said she was pregnant with his child, the court heard on Wednesday.

Marshall texted her and told her to come home to her flat in the Kimberworth area where she found him carrying a knife, on July 1.

"He made threats to her and said her baby wasn't his," Mr Baird said.

The police were called just after midnight, and they found broken windows and picture frames, torn-up documents and family photographs.

The television was smashed and the sofa and items of footwear were slashed. The main bedroom was ransacked and in total £5,000 of damage was caused.

Marshall was arrested with small amounts of cocaine and heroin, but denied causing the damage.

He was remanded to HMP Doncaster from where he made more than 600 telephone calls to her "which seemed to indicate an ongoing relationship."

She answered his calls because "it was the easiest thing to do" and because she was "frightened and intimidated" by him, while Marshall said he was concerned about the welfare of his son.

The court heard has an "unattractive record," dating back to 2013, which includes theft, affray, possession of a blade, perverting the course of justice, burglary and attempted robbery.

Dermot Hughes, mitigating, said Marshall has served the equivalent of a 14-month sentence and deserved full credit for his pleas. He said the telephone calls were vetted by the prison first and were consensual.

"It matters not because Mr Marshall knew he was the subject of a court order," Mr Hughes said. “His concern was primarily the welfare of his child. He is genuinely remorseful.”

Marshall, 26, currently of HMP Doncaster, pleaded guilty to criminal damage, breach of a restraining order and possession of Class A drugs.

Judge Michael Slater said the damage was "cruel and heartless." He imposed a 14 month sentence and banned Marshall from contacting his ex-partner until further notice.

Read the latest cases from Sheffield Crown Court here.

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