A booze-fuelled thug who threatened to smash a truck into his former partner’s home after he accused her of cheating has been locked up.

Bradley Richmond flew into a drunken rage after spending the day drinking with his brother and friends.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 28-year-old became abusive towards his then-partner forcing her to leave the Darlington pub and head to her mother’s home.

Tabitha Buck, prosecuting, said the defendant bombarded the woman with abusive messages, including threats towards her mother, so sought refuge at a friend’s home before returning to her own house.

She said Richmond and his brother arrived at the Darlington property. The brother managed to get him to leave but he later returned on his own and became aggressive and abusive while accusing her of being unfaithful.

“She went home at 4am and asked a male friend to accompany her as she didn’t feel safe to be at home on her own,” she said.

“He attended the house and was immediately aggressive and she decided to blockade the door herself.

“He shouted ‘if I get through this door, you are dead’. She feared that if he got through the door then he would carry out the threat.”

Miss Buck said the defendant smashed two windows at the property before police arrived and arrested him.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she had never seen him that angry before and was fearful for her safety.

Richmond, of Auckland Avenue, Darlington, pleaded guilty to making threats to kill and two counts of causing criminal damage.

Amrit Jandoo, mitigating, said his client accepted that he had been drinking heavily before committing the offences and understands that that is an aggravating factor in this case.

He said: “He has lost his temper completely and behaved appallingly.”

Judge Richard Bennett sentenced the father-of-one to 20 months in custody suspended for two years and made him subject to a five-year restraining order to protect his victim.

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“You threatened to stab her, you threatened to drive a lorry into her house,” he said.

“The victim was in shock and genuinely feared for her life and after listening to you ranting and raving – I’m hardly surprised.”

Richmond was ordered to attend a Building Better Relationship course, made subject to a 90-day abstinence order, told to attend 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days, carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, and pay his victim £300 in compensation.

The judge added: “That should keep you busy at the weekend and keep you out of the pub which has been the cause of your offending.”