A SPURNED partner turned up at his “ex’s” home at night hysterically urging her to rekindle the relationship, a court heard.

Jay Lee Layton’s presence in the garden of his former partner’s home in Spennymoor at 8pm on April 6 was in breach of a civil order.

Durham Crown Court, sitting at Newcastle, was told his former partner initially refused to let him in as she allowed him to visit her home some months earlier, when he was sober, but after a few days he returned to his drunken ways, pestering her for money.

Joe Hedworth, prosecuting, said: “In January this year she realised he had not changed and asked him to leave, describing him as ‘unpredictable’.”

Mr Hedworth said Layton was crying hysterically, pleading to be allowed in, but she urged him to be quiet as her young child was asleep.

She agreed to get him a coat at one point, but he took the chance to enter the house, via an open window, and told her he was not leaving.

When she said she would phone the police Layton threatened to kill her, harm her child and kill himself.

Layton then took up a kitchen knife, holding it above his head, again threatening to kill his ex-partner, before dragging her out into the garden and locking her outside.

When police arrived to arrest him, Layton kicked a female officer in the stomach, causing her to feel nauseous.

In her victim statement his former partner said Layton had ruined her life and left her in constant fear, while the injured officer said she did not come to work to be assaulted and found the incident upsetting.

Layton, 25, of Redwood Flats, Brandon, admitted assaulting by beating, making threats to kill and assaulting an emergency worker.

The court heard he has two past convictions for battery, one, at least, arising during a domestic incident.

Nicholas Askins, mitigating, said it was a relatively “short record”, with no offences for five years until this incident leaving him facing a first prison sentence.

Mr Askins said this would prove problematic for Layton, who was born female, but has transgender status and while still remaining biologically female is detained in Low Newton Women’s Prison, albeit almost in “solitary confinement”.

Judge James Adkin said Layton, “lost all control that evening” and told him the message needs to get through that his former partner, “wants you out of her life”.

Passing a 21-month prison sentence he also issued a ten-year restraining order prohibiting Layton from contacting or approaching his ex-partner.