A CAERPHILLY man smashed up his former partner’s home with a hammer while her two youngest children were inside, while he was under investigation for leading police on a high speed chase.

Ryan Masters, 29, of Greenwood Court in Caerphilly, had given his partner, who he had been in an on-again-off-again relationship for about a year, a bracelet for Valentine’s Day, but when she did not answer his phone calls the following day, left a voice message saying “there would be consequences if she didn’t hand over the bracelet.”

The complainant then heard Masters knocking on the door, and he had a hammer in his hand.

When she didn’t answer, he broke into the house with the hammer, and proceeded to smash a glass coffee table and the TV, prosecutor Rhodri Jones told Newport Crown Court.

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The complainant hid upstairs with her two young children, but Masters followed her, still armed with the hammer.

She handed over the bracelet, and he left the house.

Police found Masters at an address in Lansbury Park in Caerphilly, where he had got onto the roof of a garage armed with the hammer and a pair of scissors.

“He threatened to throw the hammer [at the officers] and held the pair of scissors to his throat and threatened to self-harm,” Mr Jones said.

This “mini siege” lasted around 30 minutes, before he handed himself in.

Jeffrey Jones, defending, said Masters accepts that he acted recklessly, and offered an explanation of his actions rather than mitigation.

“The defendant has lost his grandfather a few months before,” he said. “He had been given, from him, a unisex bracelet. He let [the complainant] wear it, he did not give it to her as a gift.”

The pair had split up, Mr Jones said, and Masters felt that after he asked for it back, the complainant was “giving him the run around.”

“This does not excuse his actions,” said Mr Jones.

At the time of the offence, Masters was under investigation for dangerous driving.

On April 16, 2020, he led officers on a “two to three mile” high speed chase through Caerphilly at just after 6pm.

The prosecution told the court that Masters drove in excess of 70mph in a 30mph residential zone, and hit 90mph in a 50mph zone.

Masters was caught by police officers using a stinger.

Addressing Masters, Recorder Simon Mills said: “The manner of your driving can properly be described as not just dangerous, but heinous.

“Your driving was at high speed. You carried out terrifying overtaking manoeuvres.

“If you carried on much longer, who knows what could have happened.”

Addressing his other charges, Recorder Mills said:“You didn't use violence [towards the complainant] as such, but she would have perceived it as violent.

“There were two young children in the house when you did that.

“Just imagine what it must be like watching a man in rage just smashing things with a hammer as he chooses.

“You cannot treat women and children like you did. You cannot drive in whatever manner you choose. Just imagine having someone’s death on your hands.”

Masters was jailed for a total of three years in prison.

Recorder Mills sentenced him to 10 months for dangerous driving, two years – to run consecutively – for burglary with the intent to do unlawful damage, and two months – also running consecutively – for possessing an offensive weapon and possessing a blade or pointed article in a public place.

He was also disqualified from driving for four years – upon his release from prison – and must take an extended driving test.

He was also made the subject of a restraining order.