A LLANDRINDOD Wells man has been told he is lucky to avoid prison after he sent threatening voice messages to a woman whose car window he smashed while her children were inside.

Jack Samson Edward Thomas smashed the back windscreen of his victim's Vauxhall Astra outside the Ridgebourne Service Station in Llandrindod on October 8 last year with his elbow after getting into an altercation with her and her boyfriend.

Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court heard this week that Thomas, 32, smashed the rear windscreen with his elbow, sending broken glass flying onto her terrified children who were sitting in the back seat.

As he left Thomas, of Park Terrace, Llandrindod, told her he would “blow up” her car, and a day later sent voice notes via Facebook calling her a “grass” and a “dirty little ratbag”.

Thomas had pleaded guilty to both criminal damage and sending threatening messages in April and appeared in court on Wednesday, August 17, for sentencing.

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Prosecutor Kevin Challinor said police attended the Ridgebourne garage on October 8 following the initial incident.

“She said the defendant had arrived at the garage with an unknown female and, as he passed her, she heard him make a comment about her appearance and her boyfriend," he said. "She ignored the comment but he then told her to get her boyfriend out of the car.

“He then banged on her partner’s window, telling him to get out, and he began kicking the car.

“The defendant then walked to the rear of the car and dropped his elbow through the window; glass fell into the rear of the car and down onto the back seat where the children were sat."

In an impact statement the victim said: “This is something the children will remember forever; they are young but not too young to not know what’s going on.

“The youngest has had bad dreams since that night.”

He applied for a restraining order against Thomas.

Probation officer Donna Davies prepared a pre-sentence report and described Thomas, who has 50 convictions for 79 offences, as a “hot head” who has difficulty controlling his anger.

Leila Williams, representing Thomas, asked the magistrates to impose a community order to allow him to get help with his anger management issues.

Chair of the bench, Simon Green, told Thomas: “It is only due to the probation service’s contribution that you’re not going to prison today.

“It wouldn’t have surprised us if they’d washed their hands of you. You are in the last chance saloon. Make no bones about it, you’re lucky probation think they can work with you.”

Thomas must comply with a 12-month community order which will include 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and alcohol abstinence monitoring for 120 days.

Magistrates granted a restraining order which will last for two years.

Thomas must also pay a £95 surcharge, £85 costs and £75 compensation.