Baby was sleeping below window that was shattered at Preston house

Jordan Rigby, 28, of Scarlett Drive, Hutton, became irate when his former partner would not transfer some of his wages he had given her back to his bank account, so he could go to the pub, Preston Magistrates’ Court was told.

Rigby sent a string of threatening messages to the mum in which he told her “Keep up, I will destroy you” and “You will take the p*** out of me for the last time” before adding: “Watch what I do, I will ruin you”.

Later the same evening, on December 4 last year, he arrived at her home, a flat in New Longton, and banged on the door before sending further messages when she did not answer.He told her he would ‘get arrested tonight’.

The mum then heard a loud bang and the glass going through as he threw something at the bedroom window - which was directly above where their baby was sleeping in a cot. Fortunately, only the outer pane shattered, the court was told.

Rigby ran away from the scene but returned there after the victim telephoned his mother, who then telephoned him and warned him police had been informed.He pleaded guilty to criminal damage.

The prosecutor said: “ The complainant in this matter was in a relationship with the defendant for around five years, but in the four months preceding this incident it was described as on and off as a result of the defendant drinking heavily and becoming aggressive.

Defending, Greg Earnshaw told the magistrates Rigby, who works as a machine driver at Manchester Airport, had a habit of transferring his wages to his partner so he did not spend them, and had wanted some back so that he could buy a drink.

He said the couple were together, but lived between two addresses, and that he had supposed to have been staying at her flat that night.

He was ordered to pay a £461 fine, £50 compensation for the window repair, a £46 victim surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs.