Jilted Chesterfield man arrested after hearing “worst possible news”, court hears

Anthony Chambers, 43, went to extreme measures when a friend of his partner of three-and-a-half years told him she had “been away with someone else”.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard how on June 29 last year during a 999 call to police “stones” could be heard hitting her windows.

Prosecutor Lucia Harrington described how heartbroken Chambers had told her: “I need a chat, tell me how you’re feeling.”

He then added: “You’ve got three minutes or I’m starting - I’ll kick every part of your car.”

After his arrest the lovesick Chesterfield man told police he “just wanted her to think” and he made threats about her car to “get her attention”.

However Chambers’ Solicitor Annis Rowlands - describing the case as “very unusual for a number of reasons” - told how just before the incident he received the “worst possible news”.

While speaking with one of his partner’s friends minutes before the defendant was told “she may be seeing someone else”.

Ms Rowlands said earlier the same day Chambers’ mother - having heard his victim had “gone quiet” - had advised him to “buy her some flowers”.

After buying a dozen roses he was unable to wake his partner using her intercom and so resorted to hurling grit at her window panes.

Ms Rowlands told how Chambers had taken two years to commit to the relationship and his mother saw the victim as “daughter-in-law material”.

Speaking about Chambers’ threats towards the car she said: “He made a silly comment, having been told the worst possible news by a third party.

“It was a text message sent in an emotional state - a silly throw-away comment to get her attention.”

The court heard Chambers, of Shaw Street, Whittington Moor, had 19 convictions from 58 previous offences, however he had not been before the courts since 2004.

He admitted a threat to damage property and was fined £300 and made to pay £150 court costs and £34 victim surcharge.

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