A man threatened to grab his ex-partner by the throat and punch her on the morning that she was due to give evidence against him, a court heard.
Kirklees magistrates heard a recording of the chilling phone call made by Craig Eyles to Katie White hours before she was due to testify against him in a harassment case ... and then jailed him.
He threatened: “I’m going to slap you, grip you to the throat and punch you in the nose.”
Despite the call Miss White, who has a young child with the 26-year-old, did give evidence against him which led to his conviction.
Eyles, of Heath Road in Dewsbury, appeared at the Huddersfield court in custody today where he pleaded guilty to charges of breaching a restraining order and intimidating a witness.
Dan Penman, prosecuting, said that when the couple split up in November last year Eyles harassed Miss White via Facebook and bombarded her with a large number of calls.
This was reported, but he denied harassment and his trial at the Huddersfield court was fixed for April 5.
Mr Penman said: “She was summoned to give evidence at court that day and was at the home of a friend when she got a call from a withheld number.
“She answered it and recognised the defendant’s voice. Then she did attend at court to give evidence.”
Magistrates were told that following the hearing a restraining order was made banning Eyles from contacting Miss White.
Then on April 22 he called her several times from a withheld number.
Eyles denied the new offences but changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial.
His solicitor Emma Haley said that he accepted that he had behaved appallingly.
She explained: “Mr Eyles was terrified of going to prison and his own conduct has brought about the very consequence that he feared.
“He had no intention of carrying out the threats he made. Nonetheless he doesn’t seek to excuse his behaviour and he’s well aware that the entry point must be a custodial sentence.”
Magistrates jailed Eyles for a total of 32 weeks.
