Belle Isle man jailed for jealous campaign of abuse and attacks against ex-partner

Robert Wingate, 23, of The Oaks in Belle Isle, subjected his victim to a barrage of threatening text and social media messages, repeatedly breach a restraining order, Leeds Crown Court heard.

The court heard that Wingate and the victim had been in a relationship and shared a three-year-old child but that that relationship had ended.

A previous restraining order had been granted by the court banning the defendant from contacting the victim.

He appeared in court on Tuesday, March 15 charged with four counts of beaching the restraining order and two counts of assault by beating.

Jade Edwards, prosecuting, told the court that Wingate persistently contacted the victim, including on one occasion on October 18, 2021, when he called her four times and accused her of sleeping with other people and threatened to come over to her house.

On this occasion, the court heard, he made her swear on her son's life that she was not with anyone.

Other instances saw Wingate use his dad's phone to call her, making new Facebook accounts to contact her and using Instagram to video call her.

The conversations were described as aggressive in nature, with the victim being branded a "slag" and him telling her "I will happily come around and stamp you out."

The court then heard that on a later date, the victim allowed allowed the defendant into her home to share a takeaway with herself, her son and a friend.

Ms Edwards told the court that the victim said she "did not know why" she had allowed him inside, but that she wanted him to have a relationship with their child.

Inside, the court was told that Wingate got jealous when he saw a message from another person on her phone and demanded to know who it was.

After the friend left the room with the child, Wingate then stomped on her head, the court heard.

A few hours later, in what was described as "playing around", the victim jumped on the defendant's back and he threw her across the room.

The victim cried and then he kicked her in the back, the court was told.

Ms Edwards said that the following morning, the defendant was shown a Facebook memory by the friend and then threw a lighter at the victim in a jealous rage.

The court then heard that a social worker later visited the victim and was told by the child "daddy hurt my mummy".

On being shown a picture of Wingate, the child repeated "daddy stop hurting mummy".

It was then agreed that the child would stay with the victim's mum, the court was told.

Wingate continued to contact the victim after this incident, and received a number of messages and phone calls, which Ms Edwards read to the court.

The messages included; "Who are you with you little slag?", "If you're not then watch", "Tramp", "Dosser", "You took my son away from me", "I will hurt you before I go away", and "You will be the ugliest girl when I have finished".

A number of racist messages were also read out to the court.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court the victim described the impact the abuse had had on herself, son and family.

It said: "It makes me feel like what he says is true.

"My confidence is at rock bottom."

David Hall, mitigating, said his client had pleaded guilty to each count at the earliest opportunity.

He also submitted that the case did not fall in the very serious category for sentencing, to which the judge agreed.

Recorder Simon Myerson QC described Wingate's behaviour as "unacceptable conduct".

He sentenced him to 32 months imprisonment in total.

Recorder Myerson said: "Some of the things you were saying. You started off treating her like your property.

"It is none of your business who she is or is not seeing.

"You then ask her to involve the child.

"On the 6th you stamp on her. You then kick her because you don't like what is on her phone.

"You then throw a lighter at her. Your child is crying for goodness sake.

"The language you used, and I accept I am an old man, but by the standards of young people, it is abusive.

"The final [group of messages] are abusive but worse. There is no excuse for saying that to anyone expect you want them to be sad.

"All of this was said to make her sad and afraid in my judgement and it worked - well done, you did it.

"I take into account that you are young and not as mature as you one day will become.

"All I have in your favour is your pleas.

"The two of you seem to be locked in this."

Wingate was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order.

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