A MAN who twice turned up at a pregnant former friend’s home and threatened her, once at knifepoint, was today (Wed May 16) jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Although the 23-year-old woman was expecting a child to another man, Ian Sean Colquhoun feared she might tell his partner, at the time, of a one night fling they had a month earlier.

Durham Crown Court heard the woman arrived back at her home in Newton Aycliffe to find Colquhoun sitting on the sofa, having gained access via a downstairs window, at 7pm on December 7.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said Colquhoun “threw her” onto another seat, telling her: “My lass better not find out your pregnant, or I’ll stamp on you and kick the baby out of you.”

He banged her head off a wall but she re-assured him his girlfriend would not find out about her pregnancy.

Mr Baker said the woman did not report the incident to police, but did tell a social worker.

Five days later, however, Colquhoun, armed with a large hunting-style knife, returned to the premises accompanied by another man late at night.

He waved the knife at the terrified woman, threatening to “cut the baby out of her”, claiming she had “destroyed” his relationship with his partner.

She screamed loudly causing both men to leave in haste, but this time she did contact police.

Both men were arrested at an address in Blackpool on January 16, but made few replies in police interview other than to deny being at the woman’s house.

Although both were charged, the victim told police the other man barely participated in the second incident and so the case against him was not pursued.

Thirty-year-old Colquhoun today admitted two counts of common assault and one of possessing an offensive weapon.

The court heard his “long history” of convictions feature offences of robbery and other assaults, including domestic violence.

Victoria Lamballe, mitigating, said Colquhoun was, “concerned his partner would discover his infidelity.”

She added: “This smacks more of him trying to frighten this young woman than cause her any injuries.”

Jailing him, Recorder Andrew Campbell told Colquhoun that due to his actions the victim moved from Newton Aycliffe, “fearing for her own safety”.

A restraining order was made forbidding him from trying to contact the woman or knowingly going within 100 metres of any future address where she is living.