Nightmare neighbour launched hammer attack on woman in row over cigarette
Courts heard Aaron White attempted to hit his neighbour with a hammer after she interjected in an argument between him and his partner.
A nightmare neighbour launched a hammer attack on a woman he accused of being a "grass" while locked in a dispute with his partner, a court has heard.
Aaron White, 36, narrowly missed hitting his next-door neighbour with the tool after she offered his girlfriend a cigarette in August 2022.
White, who was arguing with his partner in his front garden at the time, lobbed the object at the victim, a mum, and missed her, hitting her garden fence instead.
Teesside Crown Court heard he caused property damage, and police were called to the scene, where they questioned the man.
But, after questioning, Teesside Live reported that he banged on her door and threatened to "get someone to batter her" if she took the matter to court, and he has since been handed a jail sentence.
Paul Cleasby, prosecuting on behalf of the victim, said White, of Wilton Way in Eston, began calling the woman a "grass" and told her he would "smash her windows".
Mr Cleasby said the perpetrator was a serial offender with a "long criminal record" who became persistently threatening towards his neighbour.
The prosecutor said White "began making threats every other day" starting from one day after the initial incident.
He had previously embarked on a shoplifting spree that saw him steal more than £500 worth of products from supermarkets in just a few months.
Don't miss...
Killer to launch bid to reduce jail term for murdering Olivia Pratt-Korbel [PICTURES]
"Cowardly" men who abuse or stalk women must still be jailed, judges warned [INSIGHT]
Dad charged with murder after wife found dead at family home [REPORT]
The court heard that, before the neighbour incident, he embarked on a spree from March 2022, during which he stole meat from Tesco and a drill from B&Q.
He went on to target Sainsbury's, Morrisons and the Co-op, with the final value of his shoplifted goods reaching £600.
He has received 41 previous convictions for a total of 133 offences, among them violence and dishonesty, and pleaded guilty to another 13 offences between August 22 and September 26, 2022.
White pleaded guilty to intimidating a witness from August 22 to September 26, 2022, criminal damage, eight counts of theft, threatening behaviour, assault, and failing to surrender to custody.
Mitigating for White, Gary Wood said his client suffered from drug problems and poor mental health.
Recorder Ashley Serr jailed White, who has since moved away from the woman he threatened, for three years and made him the subject of a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his victim.
