Violent husband rang wife 50 times and threatened to kill her after his release from prison, court is told

Przemyseaw Janicki was jailed in January for assault following a trial at Leeds Magistrates' Court and given a two-year restraining order to stay away from his wife.

The court was told that the couple, who have children together in Pontefract, have been married for 17 years but had separated because of his violent tendencies.

On January 30 this year, just two days after his release, he phoned her and told her was going to kill her, Leeds Crown Court was told by prosecutor Louise Pryke this week.

He then phoned her 16 times that day, but she refused to answer.

The next day she received another call at 5am, which again she ignored, but he then phoned another 36 times in the space of five hours.

He also sent her a text message calling her a 'bitch'.

The following day he got a taxi to her home on Monkhill Avenue, Pontefract, but when she saw him in the garden, she ran upstairs and phoned the police.

When they arrived to arrest him, he turned aggressive and was found to have a small lock knife in his pocket.

Miss Pryke said: "She said she is very scared of him, and that he will carry out his threats to kill her."

Janicki, 46, who appeared at Leeds Crown Court via video link from prison, admitted three counts of breaching the restraining order, and possession of a bladed article in public.

He had four previous convictions for six offences, including battery.

Mitigating, Abigail Langford, said that Janicki should be credited for his early guilty pleas, and that he never brandished the knife at any point.

She siad: "He is a hard-working family man who has always worked in warehouse-type settings.

"When he was released from his sentence, he instantly began consuming alcohol. He accepts there is a problem with his alcohol consumption."

Jailing him for 16 months, Judge Tom Bayliss QC said: "I do not doubt that you are man, in every respect a hard-working individual, but unhappily, your behaviour towards your wife has been violent.

"Your wife is terrified. She is scared that you will kill her, and little wonder."