In the early hours of 13 July Mark Phillip Gomes Pires entered the woman’s house. He then started arguing with her and snapped her mobile phone SIM card.
The 31-year-old, who hasprevious convictions for drugs and motoring offences, then made his way to the kitchen before using the knife on himself, the Magistrate’s Court heard yesterday.
Legal adviser Lawrence O’Donnell, prosecuting, told the court that only a few days earlier, Pires had sent a number of abusive texts to the victim which led her to become ‘extremely distressed’.
Advocate Sue Pearmain, defending, said that her client, who pleaded guilty to harassment, had only entered the woman’s house because she had left the window open for him. The advocate added that Pires had previously had a very good employment record and had become involved in drugs only in the last couple of years.
‘It is sad to see how he has descended from a well-educated young man where he had a steady job to the situation where he finds himself now,’ she said.
Magistrate Bridget Shaw said that although Pires had an ‘unenviable criminal record’ and that he had ‘terrified’ his victim, a custodial sentence would fail to help him tackle his problems.
She told Pires: ‘Taking the long view, I think it is better for your former girlfriend and for any further relationships that you have the chance to work with the Probation Service,’ she said.
In addition to being given the restraining order, Pires was sentenced to 12 months’ probation.
