Lincoln man Jonathan Thornley jailed for assaulting ex-partner

Jonathan Thornley was jailed for nine months at Lincoln Crown Court

A man who threatened his ex-partner with a golf club before throwing a wheelie bin at her has been jailed for nine months.

Jonathan Thornley assaulted his former girlfriend when she went to his home in Woodfield Avenue, Lincoln, to retrieve a mobile phone.

When police arrived, he threatened them with an air rifle, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Thornley admitted two charges of assault and affray.

The court was told the 41-year-old, who had been drinking and using crack-cocaine, had assaulted the woman on the 14 and 15 November.

Phil Howes, prosecuting, said the wheelie bin had hit her, causing swelling to her ankle.

After police arrived, Thornley threatened to use an aerosol as a flamethrower and to throw boiling water at officers.

The court heard he also smashed the front window of his local authority property and at one stage threw a brick.

In mitigation, Sam Lowne, told the court his client had an "array of mental problems".

"At the time he was at a low ebb, and had returned to using alcohol and crack-cocaine. He is genuinely sorry."

Passing sentence, Recorder Simon Ash KC told Thornley: "This was a prolonged incident which required a number of police officers to be deployed."

The defendant was also given a restraining order, preventing him from making any contact with his former partner for three years.