AN ELLESMERE who tried to smother his estranged partner with a pillow and smashed doors with a sledgehammer has avoided jail.

Wayne Allum was given a 12-month sentence, reduced from 18 months for an early guilty plea, for actual bodily harm (ABH) and criminal damage against his former-partner at the home they shared at the time.

Presiding judge Recorder J Taylor suspended the sentence for 18 months and ordered him to pay £500 in compensation and £425 in costs.

Shrewsbury Crown Court, sitting at Telford Justice Centre, heard that on Sunday, October 22, the defendant returned to the home he shared with his estranged partner after the pair had separated in July following nine years together.

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This was after his ex had tried to contact him to say the doors were locked and she would let him in when he was returning from drinking at their property in Ellesmere.

However, the court heard, that Allum tried to place a ladder against the door to open it before his victim heard him smash the door.

She looked out of her window and saw that he had a sledgehammer. She locked her bedroom door, which Allum then smashed with the weapon.

Allum then hit the bed with the sledgehammer before attempting to smother her with a pillow and only stropped, according to prosecutor Rebecca Da Silva, because his wife was recording it with her phone.

He then used the hammer to smash the phone up, while his victim was able to escape the property and was taken to see her son at his work.

The court also heard in a victim impact statement, read to the court by Ms Da Silva, that she carries injuries from the day still and has been left anxious and sleepless by the incident.

In defence, Recorder Taylor told the court he was convinced of Allum’s remorse after receiving a letter from him, but added that ‘he was lucky there wasn’t more significant injuries’.

Kevin Jones, defending, said his client was ‘"aghast that he was behaving that way both at the time and also to someone that he loves" and had been with alcohol since the incident.

Sentencing him, the judge said: “You have pleaded guilty to these offences.

“The relationship had ended but you remained living together – you burst in on the house, smashed the door up with the sledgehammer and it’s a good job you hit the bed and not her as you would be facing a more serious charge.

“This is a serious offence and I could justifiably send you to prison but I won’t.

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“You may have issues with alcohol and it took place in a domestic setting.

“This is taken everything into account – all of your references and the letter you wrote to me showing remorse which I believe is genuine.”

Allum was also given up to 20 rehabilitation activity days and up to 60 days alcohol abstinence monitoring order, and was given a five-year restraining order against his victim of no contact, direct or indirect, and must not visit any location he believes she will be at.