A HUSBAND who couldn’t cope with the breakdown of his 20-year marriage and breached a court order by going to his wife’s home within two days of being released from prison has been jailed for eight months.

Stuart Blake had shoulder-barged the front door of his wife Rachel’s home in Shakespeare Road, Ipswich, when she wouldn’t let him in and then tried the back door handle, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Mrs Blake called the police and when officers stopped him shortly afterwards they found he was in possession of a starting pistol, said Philip Farr, prosecuting.

Blake, 44, of Crescent Road, Ipswich, admitted breach of a restraining order and possession of an imitation firearm on September 19 and was jailed for eight months, less 70 days he has already spent in custody.

The court heard that Blake had appeared before magistrates on September 3 and had been jailed for 12 weeks.

He was also made the subject of a restraining order restricting his contact with his wife for harassment and having a knife.

He was released from prison on September 17 and over the next two days he telephoned his wife 20 times.

He also followed her into a local school and was spoken to by the headmaster.

After his wife went home, Blake went round and knocked and barged at the front door and tried the back door handle.

Steven Dyble, for Blake, said his client had been with his wife for 20 years and had found it hard to deal with the end of the relationship.

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