Knife-threat demand for £20 from Wakefield ex lands thug more than five years' jail
A man who threatened to stab an ex girlfriend in her flat unless she handed over £20 has been handed a lengthy jail sentence.
Mikey Butterworth only had a brief fling with the woman and had lost contact with her when he later let himself into her flat and began making demands.
He was jailed at Leeds Crown Court for a list of crimes, culminating in the robbery of the terrified woman.
Butterworth had been staying with a friend in Derby last year having been released from his last prison sentence.
But on November 11, Butterworth took the keys to the man’s Mini and drive off in the car. It was recovered from Derby city centre a short time later.
He then attacked another former partner days later after convincing her he had mended his ways and persuaded her to resume their relationship.
But after he demanded she get back into bed on November 23, he hit her to the face and pushed her down on the mattress.
He refused to leave her home in the days that followed and when he finally did, he told her: “Watch what happens you fat s***.”
He was arrested on January 25 but gave a no-comment interview.
Finally, the 29-year-old contacted the second ex partner in Wakefield. They had only been together a few weeks before breaking up, prosecutor Anthony Moore told the court.
In January Butterworth went to her flat on the Eastmoor Estate unexpectedly, initially asking to charge his phone and then asking for £20.
To appease him, the woman’s current boyfriend gave him £10 and Butterworth left.
But he returned on January 11, walked in uninvited and asked the woman if he could charge his vape. With her boyfriend not present this time, Butterworth tried to kiss the woman three times but she spurned his advances.
He then said if she didn’t give him money, he would tie her up and stab her. He then went into the kitchen with the woman fearing he was going to grab a knife.
She agreed to give him £20, but they would have to go to an ATM, which they did.
She later contacted the police and he was arrested again. He denied robbing her and claimed she offered the money.
Appearing in court over a video link from HMP Leeds, Butterworth, of Harewood Road, Wakefield, admitted robbery, ABH, theft of a motor vehicle and failing to surrender to custody in Derby.
Mitigating, Shila Whitehead said he “regretted” his actions, particularly in the robbery. She said he was high on drugs and alcohol at the time and claimed he had little idea he was acting forcefully.
With Butterworth being held on remand for six months, she added: “He has had time to think about his personal circumstances. He tells me he is deeply remorseful for committing all of these offences and would like assistance.”
Judge Andrew Stubbs KC said to Butterworth: “You told Ms Whitehead that you have wasted your life. You have wasted your life so far.”
He jailed him for five-and-a-half years.