'Angry' man back behind bars after breaking restraining order three times

Michael Nuttall sent letters to the woman and her sister, before shouting at the woman while she was working behind a supermarket checkout.

Leeds Magistrates' Court heard he was angry about not being allowed to have contact with his son, who he has not seen in three years.

Nuttall had been issued with a restraining order in April 2018 after being convicted of criminal damage, the court was told.

The order, which was due to last for two years, prevented him from making any contact with the woman.

Three months later, the order was varied to become indefinite and to ban Nuttall from entering Tesco in Dewsbury Road, Beeston.

Magistrates heard that the 34-year-old had been in prison for unrelated offences when he wrote to the woman's sister in December last year.

Prosecutor Vicky Trueman said the woman was upset that Nuttall was making attempts to breach the order even when he was behind bars.

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The court heard the woman's heart started racing with panic before she had even read another letter sent to her directly on February 13.

It followed a hearing about varying the restraining order so that Nuttall could not turn up at their son's school.

Five days after she received the letter, the woman was at work in Tesco when she heard Nuttall shouting at her.

Miss Trueman said the woman saw him standing there but continued serving her customer despite a feeling of growing panic. Nuttall eventually left the store and the woman rang the police.

Magistrates were told that four convictions on Nuttall's criminal record related to offences committed against the woman.

Nuttall, of no fixed address, admitted three counts of breaching a restraining order.

The court heard he was still on licence following his release from jail and committing further offences meant would be recalled until May to serve the remainder of his earlier sentence.

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Adrien Pollard, mitigating, said: "The defendant is angry. He's angry with the system that doesn't allow him contact with his son. He's not seen him for three years.

"Whilst he is the author of his own misfortunes by his behaviour, what he has felt is he doesn't get any assistance with trying to see his son. He doesn't get Legal Aid, he can't afford a solicitor."

He said Nuttall had no interest in seeing the woman or hurting her, but still loved his son and wants to see him.

The mistake had been in allowing his heart to rule his head and he must learn that there were no shortcuts if he wants access, Mr Pollard added.

Describing the breaches of the order as "wilful and persistent", magistrates jailed Nuttall for 16 weeks and ordered him to pay a £122 victim surcharge.