Violent Leeds burglar threw kettle of boiling water at ex and swung claw hammer at her
Woman left petrified by thug, saying he is capable of extreme violence
A burglar smashed his way into his ex’s home, attacking her with a saw, tried to hit her with a hammer and threw a kettle of boiling water towards her.
The victim was able to escape the double attack, but later said she feared Christian Allan was “capable” of carrying out his threats.
Allan was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting counts of burglary, theft and attempted theft of commercial premises.
The 31-year-old also admitted two counts of assault and one of making threats with an offensive weapon.
The court heard that Allan had been in a relationship with the woman for three years.
He went to her Holbeck home on the afternoon of May 18 and banged on her door. When nobody answered he smashed a window and left himself in.
When she confronted him, he tried to grab her by the throat, but she was able to get free. He then attacked her with a saw, causing grazes to her leg. She later reported him to the police.
However, he returned 12 days later at around 12.45pm. He began to kick the door and shout at her.
Allan quickly broke the door and again let himself in, grabbing her by the hair and throwing her into a wall. He then picked up a claw hammer from the kitchen worktop shouting that he was going to kill her.
He swung at her but missed, putting a hole through the worktop. He shouted that he would burn the house down.
Allan picked up a kettle of boiling water and threw it in her direction, but again missed.
The woman was screaming for help and the police were called.
Allan, of Hambleton Drive, Halifax, was not arrested until June 18, when he gave a no-comment interview to police.
In an impact statement, read by prosecutor Beth Richardson, the victim said: “I’m petrified of Allan. I truly believe he is capable of carrying out the threats he made.
“He could turn up at any point and hurt me or my children.”
The court heard that Allan was involved in a commercial burglary at Aston Barclay in Hunslet in which he and another male both entered the site in the early hours of March 24 by prising open fencing.
They stole tools worth £500 from a portable cabin. Allan left his blood on a window and was identified through his DNA.
On April 12 he and two other males entered Soil Engineering Geo Services in Beeston where they siphoned diesel worth £85 into two drums. Again, his DNA was found at the scene.
Finally on June 1 he tried to siphon more fuel from a van at the BT depot in the Cross Flatts area after scaling a fence.
Allan has 11 previous convictions for 18 offences, including 11 for thefts and burglary.
Mitigating, Safaraz Ahad said Allan’s addictions were “at their peak” during his offending, that he was not sleeping and was paranoid.
He said Allan had been in employment for most of his life, working in construction, demolition and farming work.
Mr Ahad added: “He understands that if he continues committing these offences he will find himself right back in prison.
“He is under no illusion and understands it will be a custodial sentence.”
Judge Anesh Pema said Allan was fortunate not to be charged with ABH rather than assaults. He questioned the Crown’s charging decisions, but no answer was forthcoming.
He also questioned why he was not facing more charges for forcing his way into the woman’s home.
He gave Allan a 23-and-a-half-month prison sentence.