Desperate thug who called Wakefield ex 100 times a day held knife to her throat
A thug ordered to stay away from his ex by the courts called her up to 100 times a day and then held a knife to her throat.
Ryan Evans attacked the woman while she was in a car on a petrol forecourt, cutting her neck with the blade.
He was jailed for more than three-and-a-half years at Leeds Crown Court this week.
It was heard that 33-year-old Evans and the woman had been in a relationship for five years and have a child together. But the relationship “soured” and in December last year he was handed a non-molestation order to keep him away.
But he continued to contact her and would phone her, which she largely ignored. On January 16 he called her 100 times. When she did answer, she recognised his voice immediately. He even threatened to take his own life.
On January 24, the woman and Evans’ sister were in a car on the forecourt of the petrol station on Pontefract Road in Knottingley, when they saw him.
They encouraged him to hand himself into police because he was wanted for breaching the terms of the non-molestation order. But he got into the back of the vehicle and an argument began.
He then grabbed her from behind and held the knife against the woman’s neck. The court heard the knife was already in the car and had not been brought by Evans.
In the struggle that followed, the knife cut her neck and he headbutted her. He also told her was going to kill her. Evans’ sister tried to intervene and he punched her three times to the face.
His ex needed hospital treatment to the cut to her neck. He was later arrested but gave no comments during his interview.
Evans, of Ramsden Street, Castleford, later admitted GBH without intent, ABH and breach of the non-molestation order.
He also admitted a charge of dangerous driving from November 25 last year. When police tried to pull over his Vauxhall Astra on Aberford Road in Wakefield, he took off, reaching speeds up to 80mph on 30mph roads.
Narrowly missing pedestrians after mounting pavements, he eventually had to abandon the car after he became stuck in traffic, but officers were able to chase him down and make an arrest. He also tested positive for drugs.
He has previous convictions for drink driving, assaulting an emergency worker and also received 23 months’ jail in 2021 for ABH and making threats to kill.
Mitigating, Rebecca Randall conceded Evans’ record was “pretty appalling” and that he had issues with drugs and alcohol.
She said he was now taking positive steps to address his addictions. She said: “He has taken a long hard look at himself. He has taken this time [on remand] to pull his finger out.”
She said he had taken courses in jail so that when he is released, he can “have a future to look forward to”.
The judge, Recorder Brian Whitehead told Evans that it made little difference that the knife was already in the vehicle, rather than him arming himself beforehand.
He added: “It’s a miracle it was not far worse than it ended up. It caused a very unpleasant cut to her neck that will result in life-long scarring.”
He jailed Evans for 43 months in total and banned him from driving for three years and 10 months.