Man threatened to kill partner and daughter after 'downing 18 pints'
A civil engineer who threatened to kill his partner of more than 20 years and their teenage daughter after sinking up to 18 pints of beer has been spared jail.
Nigel Rollins turned violent after arriving home drunk in the early hours of the morning on February 25, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
The 50-year-old had increasingly turned to drink as the relationship fell apart and was confronted by his partner when he returned obviously the worse for wear.
There was an argument during which he pulled a knife from a kitchen drawer and declared ‘I am going to stab you’, said Mr Neil Ahuja, prosecuting.
The woman called for help to her daughter who rushed downstairs, prompting Rollins to smash a mug and threaten to slit the throat of the horrified teenager.
He pushed the girl down on top of her mother but she broke free after kicking him between the legs but was then humiliated by him.
Rollins put the woman in a headlock and warned he would slit her throat if the girl did not get down on her knees and plead for her mother to be released unharmed, the court heard.
After she did this the two females picked up a folding table and sheltered behind it before fleeing to the mother’s car which was parked outside.
Blame
They locked themselves in the vehicle and called the police.
Miss Elizabeth Power, defending, explained: “He has been a civil engineer for over 30 years and had been in a relationship with the woman for more than 20 years.
"He realises he only has himself to blame for what has happened.”
Rollins from Whitgreave Street, West Bromwich, who had no relevant previous convictions, admitted two assaults and issuing threats to kill.
He was given a 12 month jail sentence suspended for two years with 200 hours unpaid work and a two month night time curfew.
He was told he must attend a rehabilitation course and was further ordered to pay £200 compensation to each victim and £340 costs.
Judge James Burbidge QC told him: “I have decided not to send you immediately to prison because reports say you are capable of rehabilitation and, for the first time, you have spent a month in custody since your arrest.”
