AN “IMMATURE” and “childish” man barged into his ex-partner’s home and stole her purse, tobacco, Wi-Fi router, and TV remote to “annoy her” after they broke up.

Elliott Roberts, 23, appeared at Swansea Crown Court having pleaded guilty to three offences of criminal damage, one of theft and one of possessing cannabis.

Prosecutor Caitlin Brazel told the court that Roberts had been in a relationship with the victim, but this ended on July 18 last year.

In the period around the end of the relationship, Roberts damaged the victim’s phone beyond repair “following an argument”. He later told police in interview that this was “revenge for her damaging his laptop” with a spanner.

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After ending the relationship on July 18, the victim had gone out to the shops. When she returned home, she noticed the sliding doors at the back of the address had been damaged.

“It was clear to her that the defendant had entered her property,” said Ms Brazel.

“The clothes he had been wearing were on her daughter’s bedroom floor.”

Roberts was arrested the following day, and was released on bail on the condition that he did not contact the victim.

But on October 31, Roberts went to the victim’s address and was “shouting and screaming” outside.

“As she opened the door, he forced his way in to the property,” said Ms Brazel. “He started shouting and screaming at her and accused her of sleeping with someone.”

The defendant then stole the woman’s purse, tobacco, Wi-Fi router, and TV remote.

She went to a nearby shop and called her dad, and the pair returned to the house and pushed Roberts out of the property. During the time she was out, Roberts had made holes in the wall, thrown her clothes around, smashed a glass in the bathroom, and soaked her bedding in water.

On November 15, the police were called to an “ongoing domestic incident” at the victim’s address. When they arrived, Roberts was seen taking something out of a blue bag.

He told officers that he had cannabis in his pocket, but claimed it belonged to the victim.

Roberts, formerly of Mynyddcerrig, has two previous convictions for two offences.

Ian Ibrahim, defending, highlighted Roberts’ guilty pleas, and said that he had spent the last two-and-a-half months in prison – the equivalent of what he would’ve served for a five-month sentence.

Mr Ibrahim said Roberts had made good use of his time in prison, having completed a number of courses – including one addressing alcohol and drug use.

“It’s over now,” he said of the defendant’s relationship with the victim. “He’s genuinely remorseful over what has happened.”

The judge, Recorder Neil Owen-Casey, said: “It seems to me you are a young man who presents a level of immaturity, bordering on being childish.

“It appears to have been a volatile and immature relationship from an outsider’s view.”

He added that the stolen items were “taken in a particularly spiteful way as you said you knew it would annoy her”.

He sentenced Roberts to a 12-month community order, as part of which he must complete an 80-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement and 25 days of rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also fined £40 for the cannabis charge.