Trouserless street chase described in court as 'another tale of everyday life in Sunderland'

A man without pants legged it into a street in hot pursuit of his ex-girlfriend in what a court heard was “another tale of everyday life in Sunderland”.

James Trow’s escapade in only his boxer shorts in city centre Burdon Road was enough to put him in breach of a court-imposed order to stay away from her.

Trow, 29, gave chase after the woman used a key to enter his home in adjoining Park Road uninvited and drunk – and put on his clothes and fled.

She had also threatened to self-harm, and he believed she was prepared to do that, and ran after her as intervention, magistrates in South Tyneside heard.

He pleaded guilty to breaching the five-year restraining order on Saturday, May 11, his third such offence since it was imposed in April 2023.

A previous breach in July last year had seen him jailed for eight weeks, prosecutor Gurjot Kaur said.

Ms Kaur added: “A member of the public saw the woman and the defendant shouting in the street.

“She is not supportive of this prosecution, and this is a guilty plea on what officers saw when they arrived.

“The starting point for this offence is a low-level community order, to a high-level community order.

“It was in a domestic context, they were previously in a relationship.”

Gerry Armstrong, defending Trow, who has 22 previous convictions, said: “It’s another tale of everyday life in Sunderland.

“He says that she attended his address. She left herself in because she had a key. She was clearly under the influence of alcohol.

“She borrowed some of his clothes as hers were not in a fit state. She then made threats to harm herself.

“When she ran outside, he believed she was going to self-harm. When arrested, he had only on his boxer shorts.

“People go out strangely dressed in Sunderland at night-time, but I’m not sure any public house would let you in in boxer shorts.

“He says that he was shouting at her, and she was shouting at him. He should have turned around and gone home.

“The police arrested him. She ran off and was later found hiding in bushes.”

Magistrates described Trow’s breach offence as “minor” and fined him £200, with £85 court costs and an £80 victim surcharg