Doncaster man flouted court order to fund school trip

Andrew Nortrop hid behind a bedroom door when officers arrived at the address, on January 22, at around 4.20pm, said prosecutor Beverly Wright.

"He was dropping off pocket money and children's items," she said. "He thought he could go there because he believed the restraining order included something of that type."

Nortrop, 43, of Shaftesbury Avenue, Intake, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order at the first opportunity.

Sheffield Crown Court heard he has 17 previous convictions for 30 offences, including dishonesty, breaches, drugs and, in 2014, assaulting his then-partner which led to the restraining order, banning him from the address until further order.

Mrs Wright said Nortrop's latest offence put him in breach of a suspended sentence for breaking into unoccupied flats and stealing a £2,000 boiler.

Andrew Swabey, mitigating, said: "There is some light at the end of the tunnel. He's had a drug problem for a significant period of time.

"His partner has tried to have the order revoked on a number of occasions and she has been unsuccessful.

"He has the benefit of a methadone prescription but he is not out of the woods yet.

"He was contacted by his ex because she was immobile because of a trapped nerve and the children needed some funds for a school trip."

Mr Swabey added that there was no suggestion of any further violence and Nortop had a job offer as a roofer.

"It is close on to 30 years since he has had some employment," he said. "There is some hope he will buckle down with probation."

But Judge Graham Reeds QC said Nortrop's ex-partner was heard saying "You need to get out" on the 999 call.

The judge told him: "You know full well you shouldn't have been at her flat. But because of her lack of cooperation, I can't assess the level of harm."

He activated the suspended sentence and jailed Nortrop for a total of 24 weeks.