Ex’s new relationship sparks baseball bat chaos on Boythorpe street in Chesterfield

David Sinclair, 39, was heard asking residents on Walton Crescent if they were the new partner saying “if you know him tell him I’m going to f****** kill him.

The chaotic February 14 scene unfolded after bricklayer Sinclair - separated from his ex for a year - realised the relationship had been going on for six months without his knowledge.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard the dad-of-two had been in daily contact with his ex-partner to share parenting - however she had not disclosed the new love interest.

The angry display was preceded by a phone call which ended with Sinclair threatening to “kill” his ex’s new partner.

Prosecutor Sarah Haslam described how the new partner phoned Sinclair - having heard he was “after him” - to talk.

After he asked the angry father “why does it matter? You’ve been broken up for a year” Sinclair threatened to break “both” of his arms and legs.

On the same day he also smashed a locked seven-foot-high garden gate at his ex-partner’s mother’s home where he pushed past his wife to see his two daughters.

Since the incident both women described feeling “anxious”, “scared” and “vulnerable”.

However Sinclair’s solicitor Steve Brint told magistrates “you have to put this into context”.

He said: “Mr Sinclair does not seek to minimise his actions but they had been in a relationship for 15 years - they have two children from that relationship.

“The children spent the majority of their time with Mr Sinclair - they live at his address and there’s been daily communications between Mr Sinclair and his ex-partner.

“It was quite a shock that she had been seeing someone else without saying anything.”

Sinclair, of Alexandra Road West, admitted sending a communication conveying a threat, possessing an offensive weapon, criminal damage and assault.

A magistrate told him: “You had an offensive weapon in a residential setting and members of the public could have been there - they must have been terrified.”

Sinclair was jailed for 12 weeks suspended for 12 months, handed a two-year restraining order and made to pay £150 compensation, a £128 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

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