'I'm not a bad man, mate' Northampton man tells judge after being given a 14 month prison sentence for smashing up car

A Northampton man has been sentenced to 14 months in prison after smashing up his former partner's car.

Leonard Whittred, aged 42, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court on Friday (March 4) after pleading guilty to one count of criminal damage and being in breach of a suspended two-year prison sentence for attempted robbery.

The court heard from the prosecution that Whittred smashed up a Peugeot 2008 and a front door, causing up to £5,000 worth of damage on February 13, 2022.

Whittred's former partner made him leave the house, locked him out and left various items on the doorstep the day prior to the incident, the court heard.

Mr Ben Gow, prosecuting, told the court that Whittred returned to the address the following day, asking to be let in so that he could take a shower but he was refused entry so proceeded to "smash up" his former partner's car.

The court heard that Whittred has been convicted of 78 offences in the past. Mr Gow said that most of these were "dishonesty" offences, namely theft, robbery and burglary.

The criminal damage Whittred caused made him in breach of a suspended sentence order made on June 18, 2020. Whittred was sentenced to two years imprisonment for attempted burglary and it was suspended for 21 months, meaning that this period was due to end on March 18, 2022.

Recorder Timothy Green acknowledged that the incident of criminal damage had been committed "very close" to the end of the suspended suspended sentence and stated that the defendant has completed many of his drug rehabilitation requirements and activity requirement days but not much of the unpaid work.

Mr Liam Muir, defending, told the court that this was due to a leg injury Whittred had sustained in a road traffic collision, which "caused him great difficulty."

He added that, although the defendant should have done better to keep his offending manager up to date, he had taken "substantial steps forward" and made "a lot of progress."

Mr Muir - in relation to the incident of criminal damage - said that Whittred took "impulsive action" and the damage was done "in the spur of the moment, having been aggravated by domestic nature."

Recorder Green sentenced Whittred to 12 months imprisonment for breaching his suspended sentence with an additional two month prison sentence to run consecutively for the criminal damage offence.

This was taking into account his guilty plea and that the crime was committed close to the end of his suspended sentence period.

Whittred was also given a five year restraining order, preventing him from contacting his former partner both directly and indirectly through a relative, solicitor or social services.

The defendant, after his sentencing, asked if he could speak. Recorder Green allowed this.

Whittred said: "I am not a bad man, mate. My kids are my life, my wife is my life. I don't know what to say to you."