A KIDDERMINSTER man with a history of violence against women has been jailed after he went into an ex-partner’s bedroom holding a knife.

Perry Lowell, 27, broke in through a kitchen window, picked up an eight inch kitchen knife and went upstairs in the bedroom in the early hours of the morning, Worcester Crown Court heard.

His ex-partner, Samantha Percival, had heard a noise downstairs and was calling the police when the bedroom door opened, Lal Amarasinghe, prosecuting, told the court.

He put the knife down on the bed and they both left the house while waiting for the police to arrive, Mr Amarasinghe told the court.

Lowell, of Glastonbury Close, had a record of more than 50 convictions - a number of them against women including two ex-partners. He also had a record of breaching restraining orders intended to protect two ex-partners on 15 occasions, the court heard.

Lowell pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order and criminal damage on August 8, this year. He pleaded not guilty to having a knife in a public place and this plea was accepted.

Mr Amarasinghe said a restraining order was in place until January 2019, banning him from contacting his ex-partner, who is also the mother of his young child. But at 3.30am on August 8, he broke into her house, picked up a knife and went upstairs.

“She heard a noise and was concerned someone was breaking in and was calling the police,” Mr Amarasinghe said.

“The bedroom door opened and he walked in and turned on the light. She thought he was under the influence of drink and he was holding the kitchen knife.”

He did not threaten her and he put the knife down on the bed. They both then left the house and he was later arrested.

He initially denied the offence and said he had been with his grandfather at the time, but later admitted it. The court heard he was also in breach of an eight-week suspended sentence for a similar offence.

Delroy Henry, defending, said Lowell and his ex-partner still had feelings for each other and were connected through their child, but he was now old enough to know better.

Recorder Edward Pepperall, QC, said Lowell had armed himself with a knife and it must have been a “terrifying incident” for his ex-partner as the restraining order was in place to protect her from him.

“You continue to make a thorough nuisance of yourself with previous partners in frightening circumstances,” he told Lowell.

“You have shown contempt for the courts’ previous sentences and orders and the time has come to deal with you in a more serious way.”

Lowell was given 12 months in total for the two offences and Recorder Pepperall activated the eight-week suspended sentence, making a total of 14 months.