Leeds Crown Court: Man threatened to rape and kill mum of his late child after smashing her window

The victim believed that Jack Beale would go ahead with the vile threats when he turned up at her home in the middle of the night and smashed her window.

Leeds Crown Court heard on Monday that 26-year-old Beale had known the victim since they were teenagers, and their relationship was “platonic, but they had sexual relations”. The woman fell pregnant and gave birth to their child prematurely in 2022. The child died in March this year.

In the early hours of March 26, Beale sent the woman a message telling her to leave his belongings outside of her house, before threatening to come through her windows.

On March 27, police received a call from the defendant’s social worker. Beale had sent the social worker messages explaining how he was going to kill the victim and himself.

At around 3am the next day, the victim was asleep with her toddler when Beale turned up at her home. He smashed her window, before the woman drew the curtains and phoned a friend for help. Beale sent her a text message telling her he would “come back and finish the job”.

When police arrived, the defendant phoned the victim and verbally abused her - threatening to kill and rape her. Prosecuting, Celine Kart said that the victim believed Beale’s threats. Ms Kart added: “There is a history of violence and threats, including significant violence.”

Beale was arrested and admitted what he had done in police interview, pleading guilty to criminal damage and making threats to kill at the earliest opportunity before the courts.

The defendant, of St Hilda's Crescent, Cross Green, has 28 previous convictions for 51 offences. In mitigation, the court heard that Beale had been diagnosed with autism and ADHD, and found it difficult to control his emotions and reaction to distressing events.

Taking into consideration Beale’s early guilty pleas, Judge Rodney Jameson KC handed Beale a two year prison sentence, which he suspended for two years. At the request of the defendant, he also issued a restraining order preventing Beale from contacting the victim or going to her home.