Newport man threatened ex with a knife after prison release

Cortney Perryman, of Welland Crescent in Bettws, was jailed in April for two counts of battery, two counts of criminal damage and one count of stalking against his former partner.

He was released on September 2.

That same night, his former partner had been out with friends and returned home with a man.

Her brother and a friend were also at the address, and the two young children from her relationship with Perryman were asleep upstairs.

The court heard that later that night, Perryman and three other men ran into the flat, and Perryman held a knife to the throat of his ex-partner’s friend.

She managed to guide him away from the man, before he held the knife against her throat, saying: "Why would you do this to me? I loved you."

One of the other men who broke in assaulted the other man at the flat, and the other woman was injured trying to defend herself. The shouting woke up one of the children – leading to Perryman and the men fleeing.

Gwent Police visited Perryman’s address on September 3 and arrested him.

Perryman claimed he had been at his mother’s home all night, only leaving for a short time to smoke.

Cortney Perryman has been jailed after threatening his ex-partner and her friend with a knife. (Image: Gwent Police)

In a statement read out in court, the victim described her relationship with the defendant – which she ended last February – as “uncomfortable”.

“I felt I could never do things a girl of my age could do and should do,” she said.

“He was paranoid and would smash my phone up.

“Then it went to grabbing and pushing and eventually hitting.”

After the incident, the woman said she went to live with her mum, and had since moved home.

“[Their daughter] now wakes up at night and says she’s scared of him,” she said.

“He’s gone from smashing things up to breaking in and threatening me and my friend with a knife.

“I personally feel like he is capable of killing me.”

She also expressed concern over the restraining order, adding: “It’s not stopping him”

Perryman has appeared in court twice for a total of six offences.

Paul Hewitt, defending, said that Perryman now accepted his relationship with the victim was over, but “is hoping for a relationship with his children”.

Mr Hewitt said Perryman suffered from mental health issues, exacerbated by losing his father at a young age.

Perryman had denied being at the address until the day of his trial, when he pleaded guilty.

“It’s clear at the time of the offence you could not deal with the fact that relationship was over,” said Recorder Robin Rouch.

“You can’t have been released from prison for more than 24 hours when you did that.

“You weren’t invited. You weren’t wanted.”

Perryman was sentenced to 25 months for the affray, 18 months – running concurrently – for possession of the knife, and 13 months – also concurrently – for breaching the restraining order.

Recorder Rouch said Perryman posed “a real risk” to his former partner, and made him the subject of a 15-year restraining order.