A MAN ignored a court ruling by breaching a restraining order forbidding contact with his ex-partner within days of it being imposed.

Fabio Cidades received a 13-month sentence, suspended for two years, at Durham Crown Court on November 19 for two assaults on the woman.

He was also made subject of a restraining order prohibiting him from approaching or contacting her.

But he was back before the court, via video link from nearby Durham Prison, having been arrested on November 29 after turning up at her home in Newton Aycliffe, uninvited.

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said she was home alone when she let her dogs out by the rear door, at about 5pm.

She saw a figure approaching the door, so she tried to close it, but Cidades pushed his way in and then took her by the hands to prevent her attempted escape via the front door.

Mr Sabiston said she screamed and Cidades told her to shut up or the neighbours would hear.

He asked to talk and said he had five questions, but he was told to leave, and instead sat on the sofa, “lapsing from being apologetic to erratic”, telling her he loved her.

Although the woman made three attempts to ring the police, each time he took her phone from her.

One call did get through and Cidades was subsequently arrested.

Cidades claimed to have been invited to the house, but Mr Sabiston said this was not accepted.

The victim said she was left so fearful by the incidents involving Cidades that she was in the process of trying to sell her home, and, as a stop gap, was going to invest in cctv at the property in the meantime.

She was also considering changing cars so he would not recognise her when she was driving.

Cidades, 22, of St Bede’s Road, Bishop Auckland, admitted breaching the restraining order, in breach of the suspended sentence.

Kelly Sheriff, in mitigation, said her client now accepts he should not have gone to the house, but was, “unaware of the severity of the offence”, at the time.

“It’s now his wish to have no further contact with the complainant.”

Judge Ray Singh told Cidades the court tried to protect the victim in November and failed, but it would protect her now.

He imposed a total prison sentence of 28 months and issued a new lifetime restraining order prohibiting any further approaches or contact with the victim.

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.

For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054