A man who kicked open his ex-partner’s door and spat in a police van has been handed a suspended sentence.
Shaun David Bignell admitted two counts of property damage, which also put him in breach of two previous probation orders.
Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood sentenced the 34-year-old to six weeks’ custody for the latest offences, but also revoked the probation orders and replaced them with 38 weeks’ custody, bringing Bignell’s overall sentence to 44 weeks, all suspended for two years.
We previously reported that police were called to an address in Ramsey on Boxing Day, via a 999 call.
Bignell, who lives at Mona Street in Douglas, had kicked the back door to gain entrance and was sitting in the kitchen.
This was said to have happened after his ex-partner had told him she didn’t want him there and had ignored his calls and messages.
He was described as drunk and was subsequently arrested.
It was also said that the defendant had also gone to his brother-in-law’s home looking for the woman and had sent a message saying: ‘It’s not over.’
After officers put Bignell in a police van he spat out several times.
In custody, he was described as being aggressive and violent.
He was interviewed and initially answered ‘no comment’ to all questions, then remained silent.
The latest offences put Bignell in breach of a probation order, from August last year, imposed after he breached a restraining order by contacting the same woman, and also threw a rock through a window at Ramsey police station.
Another probation order had been imposed in September 2022 after Bignall smashed the windows of the same woman’s camper van, then kicked open her door and smashed several electrical items as she fled to a neighbour’s home with her child.
After being arrested on that occasion he told police: ‘What I should have done is kicked her f*****g teeth in.’
Defence advocate Deborah Myerscough said that her client had spent time in custody on remand for the previous offences.
She said that Bignell had mental health issues and that she had written to mental health services as her client was on a waiting list.
The advocate said that Bignell should be prioritized as it was impacting others, and that medication was only half the solution.
Ms Myerscough also said that probation services had gone the extra mile with the defendant.
The Deputy High Bailiff also ordered Bignell to pay £150 costs for the cleaning of the police van and £125 prosecution costs.
He will pay both at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.