Man attacked ‘real true love’ (From York Press)

Ryan Thomas attacked his ‘real true love’

8:52am Friday 13th July 2012 in News

A MAN has been told to stay away from a woman he described as his “real true love” for the next two years or face a jail term.

Ryan Thomas, now 20, and Sophie Watts, now 24, formed a relationship in January 2011 and all went well for four months, but then it deteriorated and broke up in August 2011, York Crown Court heard.

Tamara Pawson, prosecuting, told the court how after the break-up Thomas demanded money from Miss Watts after bursting uninvited into her home and when she said she did not have any, banged her head against a wall and punched her shoulder. He said she owed him money because he had been arrested.

On another occasion, he tried to grab her bank card out of her hand near the Lidl store on Thanet Road, Dringhouses. She managed to get into the store and wait there until he had left, but he had gone to lurk by the side of her house.

In a separate incident, he smashed the handle of her back door with a brick while she was inside and also made various threats to her between June 1 and November 3 last year.

Thomas, of Morritt Close, off Monkton Road, York, pleaded guilty to putting Miss Watts in fear by harassment, causing her actual bodily harm and two charges of criminal damage.

He was given a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for two years on condition he does 12 months’ supervision and attends a rehabilitation course for people who commit domestic violence.

He was also banned from contacting Ms Watts in any way for the next two years under a court restraining order.

For Thomas, Glenn Parsons said the violence had not all been one way and Miss Watts had admitted scratching Thomas’ face and biting him.

“This was his real true love and he has had difficulties in handling his feelings. It is something of a toxic relationship and they are better apart.”

The Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, told him: “Although it was not all one way, you were by far the worse at taking out your feelings and anger on her and her property.”