Jailed: Shrewsbury man fired air gun at ex-partner’s flat

Ainslie Roberts, aged 28, had been made the subject of court order banning any contact with his former partner earlier last year.

However, in December he sent a series of threatening messages and was outside her home armed with a BB gun and a piece of wood.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court, Roberts was jailed for a total of 17 months. Judge Peter Barrie said Roberts had defied the order of court which was for the victim’s protection.

He said the defendant had gone the wrong way about showing he cared and the string of messages had been increasingly desperate and hostile.

“Use of the air weapon could have caused serious injury and within two days you were seen with the piece of wood,” he said.

He said the neighbour in York Road who confronted Roberts should be commended for alerting the police. Roberts, of Fitzallan Road, Shrewsbury, had admitted breaching the order and offences of criminal damage and possession of the air gun.

The sentence also included two months for a breach of a conditional discharge imposed last year for battery and criminal damage involving the victim which led to the restraining order.

Judge Barrie said the five-year restraining order would remain in place and Roberts would be on a year’s supervision on his release. The court heard the couple had met at college and had a five-year relationship which ended last year after an assault when he had put his hand round her throat.

Miss Raquel Simpson, prosecuting, that said in early December there were more than 60 messages sent to the victim in texts and voice mails in which he threatened to go to the house.

Two days later he was outside the flat and fired four pellets at the window, but fortunately no-one was hurt and little damage was caused.

Miss Simpson said the victim was put in fear and there was further contact with around 50 calls and 133 messages which became increasingly threatening, putting the victim in fear for her safety

Later that evening Roberts was seen in York Road with a wooden stick tucked in his trousers and when confronted by a neighbour told her ‘I’ll not use it unless I have to”. He then walked off towards the victim’s flat and the police were called.

Mrs Debra White, for Roberts, said her client, who had been in custody since December 7, had mental health issues and some learning difficulties.

She said he had spent time in care because of his mother’s alcoholism and had subsequently lost two of his siblings.

“He could not accept the relationship had ended and did not walk away and had difficulty accepting the restraining order. He apologises for his actions and now realises he must have no contact with the victim,” she said.