Yorkshire thug smashed car with hammer while ex-partner and young son were inside vehicle

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Andrew Hayes, aged 33, of Fishponds Road West, Richmond, Sheffield, attacked his ex-partner’s Seat Leon vehicle with her and their son inside as she arrived to collect their three youngsters.

Beverley Wright, prosecuting, said their four-year-old son got into the vehicle and the complainant drove on and saw where the other children were playing as Hayes approached her with a lump hammer.

Ms Wright said the couple had previously argued on social media and on the phone.

She said: “He had a lump hammer in his hand and approached the vehicle with the two of them in it and smashed the bonnet.”

The complainant described the child in the car as being terrified and screaming, according to Ms Wright, before Hayes smashed the car windscreen covering them both in glass and pulled on the door handles.

Ms Wright said that as the complainant got out Hayes punched her to the ribs.

Hayes pleaded guilty to affray, causing criminal damage and to assault by beating after the incident on June 16.

Mark Dooley, defending, said Hayes has no previous convictions for offences of violence and his immediate reaction after this incident was to hand himself in to the police.

Mr Dooley added: “He has to accept and recognise that his behaviour was firstly unacceptable and inevitably frightening for those directly and indirectly involved.”

Hayes had become enraged about the prospect of having no further contact with his children, according to Mr Dooley, and that was the catalyst for his behaviour.

Mr Dooley said: “They are actions for which he is embarrassed and ashamed and they are actions for which he will have to live with because of the way he conducted himself.”

Judge Michael Slater told Hayes: “It must have been a baffling and terrifying experience to witness your behaviour to your former partner on this particular evening.”

He added: “The aggravating features of this matter, it seems to me, are clearly the presence of the children at the time. I accept you did not realise the boy was in the car when you set about it with the lump hammer.

“But be that as it may, you intended to terrorise your former partner and it is clear you did, no doubt causing such destruction to her car and ultimately punching her in the course of the altercation that ensued afterwards.”

Judge Slater sentenced Hayes to 16 months of custody suspended for two years and ordered him to complete a rehabilitation activity and a ‘building better relationships’ programme.

He also imposed an indefinite restraining order and ordered Hayes to pay £4,218.04 in compensation and prosecution costs.

Judge Slater warned Hayes that if he commits any further offences or fails to comply with the suspended sentence he will be re-sentenced and face custody.

He said: “Should that happen you will only be going one way and it won’t be out of the front door and I can tell you that is a promise because any breaches will be reserved to me.”