AN angry confrontation inside the school gates has landed a man in court for threatening his former partner.

Gary Welsh was seen in an angry and agitated state when he confronted the woman before the headteacher was forced to intervene on July 15 last year.

Two days later, the 39-year-old returned to the school and again started shouting at his former partner as she was dropping her children off at school.

Teesside Crown Court was told that Welsh was made subject to a restraining order several weeks earlier after becoming embroiled in affray against the same woman.

Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, said: “The headteacher intervened because she was concerned about the children at the school.

“The defendant said ‘they are harassing me, they are trying to get me sent back to prison; I’m getting in touch with probation’.”

Miss Haigh said minutes later Welsh turned up at the victim’s home before speeding away when she came out of the house.

The court heard how Welsh’s harassment had left the victim anxious and scared every time she hears a noise outside her home.

Welsh, of Eastcroft Road, Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to two breaches of his restraining order.

Jonathan Walker, in mitigation, said his client had moved house to avoid any repeat of the incidents and had been working with the school to ensure there are no further incidents.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Paul Watson QC said that custody was ‘inevitable’ after he breached the restraining order just two months after it was issued.

Passing a 12 month sentence, suspended for 18 months, he said: “If you commit any further offences, particularly towards the victim in the next 18 months, you will be starting with the 12 months I’m imposing.

“Furthermore, you are still the subject of a another suspended sentence and I’m going to extend that from May next year until November that year.”