Carlisle man who burgled family home and assaulted ex is jailed for 4 years

A man from Carlisle has been jailed for assaulting his ex-partner, causing damage to her home while she was away and burgling another house at night while children were inside.

Details of Michael Charles Ball’s crimes were outlined at Carlisle Crown Court.

The 25-year-old's first offence occurred on the evening of 19 February when he unlawfully entered the Victoria Place home of a man while two of his children were present. One youngster was in bed while the other was playing with his father on an Xbox.

Ball was found hiding under a kitchen table. When challenged, he punched the man several times before locking himself in a toilet.

“He had a cigarette in the toilet which ultimately was his own downfall,” said prosecutor Brendan Burke. “DNA was recovered from that.”

Ball fled the property having stolen a silver ring and gold bracelet. The victim later described his anger at the intrusion.

Ball’s other offending was committed against his ex-partner on 30 April and 1 May after she told him he could not return to live with her. Ball grabbed her hair and punched her in the face multiple times, causing bruising, a burst lip with blood all over the woman’s clothes.

He also stole a key and, when his ex-partner went to Manchester, sent her a voice message in which he spoke of an “expensive” night out and that she’d be “in for a surprise”.

She returned the following day and found Ball had entered illegally, ripping various items of clothing, smashing a washing machine lock, damaging a child’s Xbox beyond repair and stealing underwear and other intimate items which were found at his address when he was arrested.

Ball, of Nook Street, Carlisle, admitted the two burglaries, theft and actual bodily harm assault of the woman — all committed in breach of a previously imposed community order.

His lawyer urged Recorder Peter Atherton to consider “the possibility of his rehabilitation” and told how the defendant had abused alcohol and cocaine after the deaths of loved ones.

Ball was jailed by the judge for four years, and banned from contacting his ex for a decade.