Jailed: Jilted ex-ripped up laminate flooring at his former partner's home

The woman's family had returned home to find that the laminate floor of their hallway and living room had been completely removed.

The laminated boards had been piled up four feet high in a bedroom and snapped in half.

Shaun Carl Pottinger, 32, who now lives in Chirk, was jailed for 12 weeks and was made the subject of an indefinite restraining order not to approach his former partner.

Pottinger, described as a controlling man, admitted criminal damage at her home in Flintshire and harassment. He denied assaulting his former partner but was convicted after trial.

Pottinger, who had been living in a tent but who is now living with his mother in Highfields, Chirk, was ordered to pay £500 compensation for the damage that he had caused.

Flintshire Magistrates Court in Mold heard Pottinger had been extremely controlling and he had sent the complainant a large number of text messages.

Prosecutor Helen Jackson said Pottinger had sent the complainant a total of 135 text messages.

The couple had been in a 13-year relationship. When it ended it was alleged that he would not accept it.

The assault happened when the defendant grabbed her and pushed her to the ground.

She injured both knees and had an injury to her ear. The complainant accepted that she had bitten him in the chest in self-defence.

The damage occurred in April when she returned home with her two children to find that the laminated floor in the hall and living room had been completely removed.

They had been piled up in the bedroom including on the bed.

Andy Holliday, defending, said Pottinger took the breakdown of the relationship extremely badly and tried on numerous occasions to get it back on track. The text messages had been sent when he was living in a tent and had time on his hands.

Mr Holliday added Pottinger had a HGV licence and was quite capable of finding work.

He now wanted to manage the break-up for the benefit of the children, he said.