A dad who left his ex-partner terrified after turning up to her home with an imitation firearm went on to smear excrement in his cell after being arrested.
Dylan Walt turned up to the woman's home unannounced on January 3 and demanded to see his son. But when his former partner refused, he smashed a window, before a realistic-looking gun fell from his pocket and onto the ground. When the 26-year-old was arrested, he assaulted two detention officers before covering his cell door in his own faeces.
Walt, of Freda Street, Southwick, Sunderland, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday, via link from HMP Durham, to be sentenced for possession of an imitation firearm, two counts of criminal damage, two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and drug possession. He had pleaded guilty to the charges at a previous hearing.
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Tony Dunne, prosecuting, said on the night of January 3 this year, Walt's former partner was at her home with their son. He said: "The defendant knocked on her door, demanding to see their son. She closed the door but the defendant came back and was banging on the door, saying he wanted to come in."
The woman refused to let Walt inside, and he smashed a window while still refusing to leave. The woman eventually opened the door but did not let him gain entry and Walt was seen "jumping about". Mr Dunne said: "A black gun came out of his trousers and fell to the floor, he picked it up and said: 'I've already shot two people and I'll be shooting someone else'."
The woman was left terrified, but she got on a bus with Walt and their child before he was eventually arrested. But when Walt was taken into custody, he ended up assaulting two detention officers by punching them in the face. Mr Dunne added that Walt "wiped his own faeces on the cell door" during the same incident.
The court heard Walt had 37 previous convictions for 66 offences, including for violence and dishonesty. He had received prison sentences in 2016, 2017 and 2019, the court heard.
Mr Smith, defending Walt, said he suffers from ADHD and has "significant mental health" issues. He said he attended his ex-partner's address in order to see his son after promising to buy him a quad bike for Christmas. Speaking of the imitation gun, he said: "There was no intention to cause any particular harm". He said the breaking of the window was "reckless rather than intentional" and said he assaulted the detention officers after they took clothing from him and that he "accepts he can't react in that way". Mr Smith added that after smearing faeces is in his cell, he was made to clean it up himself.
Judge Stephen Earl sentenced Walt to 14 months in prison, but as he has already spent around seven months in prison, he could be due for release soon. A five year restraining order was also imposed and Walt must pay a £156 victim surcharge.
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