A knife-wielding South Yorkshire thug who forced his way into his ex-partner's home has been spared from jail
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Sheffield Crown Court heard on June 23 how Benjamin Greenhoff, aged 30, of Rochester Road, Barnsley, forced open a door at his ex-partner’s home, stuck a knife into a chest of drawers and threatened to burn the property down.
Beverley Wright, prosecuting, said: “She was woken about 1am by the voice of the defendant shouting on several occasions and heard footsteps walking around the side of the house and got up and heard loud banging.”
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Hide AdThe complainant also heard footsteps running upstairs, according to Ms Wright, and she heard the defendant swearing and he had a knife which he slammed into a chest of drawers.
Ms Wright said after the complainant tried to placate Greenhoff he said: “I will burn the f*****g lot down.”
Police found the door had been damaged by a spade, according to Ms Wright, and Greenhoff told officers he had been drinking and had taken the knife from a fishing tackle box.
Greenhoff, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to using violence to secure entry and to making a threat to cause damage after the incident in January.
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Hide AdDaniel Penman, defending, said Greenhoff had been using the knife to open the door.
He added the complainant’s home is jointly-owned with the defendant but she has remained in the property after the couple separated.
Judge David Dixon sentenced Greenhoff to 12 months of custody suspended for two years with a 25 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 120 hours of unpaid work.