Little Harrowden man jailed after bungled attempt to 'terrify' ex-girlfriend with knife

Stevan Lyman, aged 51, of Little Harrowden, near Wellingborough, has been jailed for 14 months after he admitted going round to an address in Kettering armed with a nine-inch kitchen knife.

Northampton Crown Court heard Lyman had been ordered to stay away from his ex-girlfriend for 18 months in early 2014.

But, shortly after this ban expired, he walked round to an address in Lime Road, where he believed his ex-girlfriend lived with the intention of “terrifying her”.

James Thomas, prosecuting, said arrived at the address at 4.30am carrying a bag which contained a knife, a hammer and garden tools.

He was wearing a balaclava, gloves and latex gloves as well as plastic bags on his footwear.

Mr Thomas said Lyman later told officers this was because he wanted to “avoid leaving his DNA at the scene”.

He said: “He told officers that he just wanted to terrify and frighten her.”

However, unbeknownst to Lyman, a different woman lived at the address with her three young children.

The court heard that Lyman used the hammer to smash the front door.

The woman and her three children were forced to hide in a back bedroom.

A victim impact statement revealed the woman now struggled to get to sleep at night and extremely worried about any knocks at the front door.

The woman said she vividly remembers one of her children saying to her “don’t let me die mum”.

Lyman admitted charges of possessing a bladed article in a public place, damaging property and using threatening words or behaviour.

His Honour Judge Timothy Smith sentenced Lyman to 14 months in prison. He is likely to serve half before being released on licence.