A MAN has been jailed for more than three months after he broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home and stole jewellery and trainers following their break-up.

Patrick Joseph McFetridge, 43, also waved a house brick at a hotel receptionist and threatened to summon London contacts to 'bash' his ex's brother during the incident in June.

He was jailed for a total of 14 weeks at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday, October 6, although as he has already been on remand while awaiting sentence, Judge Lucy Crowther told him he will likely be released immediately.

The defendant initially denied offences of threatening behaviour, burglary and theft in Merthyr on September 8, but he has since entered guilty pleas.

OTHER NEWS:

On Friday he admitted a fifth charge, of causing criminal damage to the flat owned by his ex, at Montpellier Court, on June 14. The prosecution formally offered no evidence in relation to two other charges.

Prosecutor Kirsten Murphy said McFetridge, of Rotherhithe Old Road, Southwark, London, and the complainant had been in a relationship for six years, but it had come to an end on June 13.

“Following an argument the relationship came to an end,” she said.

“She went to stay with her brother. The defendant was annoyed and went looking for her brother, who worked at the Commodore Hotel.

“When there he asked the receptionist where he (the brother) could be found, but he refused to give out his contact details.

“This agitated the defendant, who began raising his voice and making threats. He said he ‘knew people in London’ and was going to ‘bash’ him," referring to his ex's brother.

“He produced a brick from his pocket and began waving it around in the air as he left the hotel.”

Ms Murphy said the defendant then kicked in the door his ex’s apartment as he wanted to collect some belongings. 

“While in the property he could not find all his belongings so took some Balenciaga and Nike trainers, as well as some silver jewellery, including a Pandora ring, a cluster ring and hooped earrings," she said.

“She became aware the next day her property had been damaged and she contacted police.”

Ms Murphy said McFetridge had 37 previous convictions for 73 offences, including 30 involving theft or kindred offences, the most recent of which was in 2019.

His last offences, committed in 2021, were for stalking, making threats to kill and possessing crack cocaine.

David Pinnell, representing McFetridge, said: “He knows about the restraining order and the terms are familiar to him. He has an address in south-east London, it is one of the stabilising influences in his life.”

Judge Crowther told the defendant: “You behaved in a threatening manner, you waved a house brick around in a public place.

County Times:

“You said that you had connections to people who could harm him.

“Ordinarily these offences might have been dealt with via a lower-level community order, but your previous convictions aggravate the offences.”

The total 14-week sentence includes eight weeks for threatening behaviour and six weeks for theft – to be served consecutively. A further two weeks was added for criminal damage, but this sentence will be served concurrently.

“What this means is that you will be released today at some point,” said Judge Crowther.

She told him it was necessary to make a restraining order, which prohibits McFetridge from contacting or approaching his former partner, and he must not go within 100 metres of Montpellier Court. This order will last for three years.