Sunderland man caused scene outside pregnant neighbour's home before setting fire to girlfriend's clothes in garden

She needed paramedic care after irate Connor Anderson, 22, of Rannoch Road, Downhill, shouted abuse at his partner from outside, a court heard.

His girlfriend had gone to spend the night at the woman’s home in Rosyth Road, Hylton Red House, after she and Anderson had a lovers’ tiff on Friday, January 8.

In a victim statement read by prosecutor Grace Taylor to magistrates in South Tyneside, she said the incident had “destroyed” her.

And she added: “He knew how much this baby meant to me, but he still caused this trouble at my front door.”

In a separate statement, also read to the court, her partner said: “As a result of Connor Anderson’s actions, I’ve been through a mixture of emotions.

“I was scared for my partner’s life, and possibly losing my baby boy.”

Anderson could now be jailed after he admitted sending threatening electronic communications to his partner and arson, both on the same day.

Ms Taylor said: “The complainant says they were in a relationship for about six years until January.

“They lived together but she moved in with a friend who lived next door.

“On January 8, she received numerous threatening text messages from him. One read, ‘If I see you in the square, I’ll snap your leg’.

“Another said, ‘If you don’t ring me, I’ll come to the door and boot off. I’ll come to the door and there’ll be a scene’.

“He’s then attended the neighbour’s address. He’s starting banging on the door and shouting, and has been abusive.

“The neighbour was also present, and she was heavily pregnant.

“The incident caused her to suffer pains in her stomach and an ambulance was called.”

There was no suggestion in court the baby had suffered harm.

Magistrates heard Anderson then started a small fire in a garden outside – and put his partner’s clothes on it.

Peter Thubron, defending, said the couple were still together and she was waiting outside court for him.

He added: “They were living together but there had been an argument because he had come home late.

“She has gone next door to the friend’s, he is still at home. He sends these texts. but he would not have carried the threats out.

“He was upset and made a small fire in the garden, that’s it.

“Unfortunately, the police have become involved. He sees the solicitor at the station, and makes admissions.

“The complainant has retracted her statement, but he had made the admissions. If he hadn’t, this wouldn’t have gone anywhere.

“Because it’s arson, I can’t call it just a storm in a teacup, it was a moment of annoyance.”

The court heard the arson charge has a starting point of nine months in jail.

Magistrates adjourned the case for an all options report, and granted Anderson unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, June 29.

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