A mindless pair repaid the kindness offered to them by a friend by trashing her house and causing damage worth £1,000 to repair.
Jordan Gibson and Courtney Oliver had been allowed to stay at the victim's home after the latter's was damaged by her former boyfriend. However, the duo took advantage of the woman's hospitality by staying for three weeks rather than one just one night, a court was told.
Gibson and Oliver got into an argument with the victim, who had been Oliver's friend and next door neighbour for a number of years, after she asked them to pay back money they'd borrowed from her, prosecutors said. The pair then went on the rampage in the house, in Houghton-le Spring, in Sunderland, and damaged a cooker door, TV, drawers and washing machine.
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Gibson, 28, and Oliver, 22, both left the property but returned a short while later, breaking a glass panel in the front door in order to gain entry. Newcastle Crown Court was told that matters then escalated and Gibson put his hands around the victim's throat and began to strangle her while Oliver picked up a vase and looked like she was going to throw it through a window.
Gibson shouted "If you ring the police, we are going to come back, watch what happens" as the two of them finally left the property. The victim, however, ignored the threat and Gibson and Courtney were located by officers next door and arrested.
Now, Gibson, of Edenfield, in West Pelton, Stanley, County Durham, has been jailed for 27 weeks and Oliver, of Morningside Court, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, has been given a 12-month community order, with 100 hours of unpaid work, after they both pleaded guilty to affray and criminal damage.
Sentencing Oliver, Recorder Harry Vann said: "In November last year, you took advantage of your relationship with [the victim], who had been a long-term neighbour of yours and, indeed, a friend throughout your considerable difficulties. You, having asked to stay a single night with your boyfriend, Jordan Gibson, when you were between houses, in fact, stayed three weeks. You were freeloading from her."
Speaking to Gibson, Mr Recorder Vann added: "What's different in your case is that the vast majority of the damage to her possessions, which occurred in this incident, was by your hands and you laid your hands on [the victim], putting your hands on her throat."
The court was told that Oliver asked to stay at the victim's home in November last year. In the early hours of November 25, an argument erupted about money. She and Gibson then went next door to her own home before returning.
Glenn Gatland, prosecuting, said both of them went into the victim's kitchen, where Gibson smashed the glass in the oven door by kicking it and he kicked over a table. He then ripped the drawer out of the kitchen cabinets, while Oliver dented the washing machine by kicking it. During the incident, a TV was also damaged before Gibson and Oliver briefly left.
Mr Gatland continued: "Five minutes later, [the victim] was on the phone to the police when she heard a loud noise at her front door as if someone was kicking it. The middle panel came through and the defendants got back in the house. [The victim] shouted at them to get out, at which point Gibson grabbed her by the throat and started to strangle her with both hands.
"[The victim] struggled to breathe and panicked that she would pass out. Gibson let go and Oliver picked up a large vase in the living room and looked as if she would throw it through the window. Oliver was shouting "grab the TV and hi-fi and take them next door.""
The court heard that Gibson knocked over the TV as he tried to grab the hi-fi before both he and Oliver fled. They were later arrested next door.
Katie Spence, defending Oliver, said she'd had to care for her dying father from the age of 15 and had held him as he died in 2019. She added: "She accepts she started to abuse alcohol. She thought it was the only way she could cope with her emotions and the way she was feeling."
The court heard Oliver had been in an abusive relationship before Gibson and was "extremely disappointed" in herself for the offence. Miss Spence added: "Miss Oliver is in a much better place now."
Chris Morrison, defending, said Gibson was lightly convicted prior to 2022 but had a reason to stay out of trouble when he was released from prison as his disabled son was due to go through an operation. Mr Morrison added: "He has a trade as a floor layer, so there's work available to him when he's released."
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