A CARLISLE man assaulted his ex and caused damage after breaking into her home — two months after burgling another address while children were inside.

Details of 25-year-old Michael Charles Ball’s crimes were outlined at the city’s crown court his afternoon, Monday, as he was jailed for four years.

Ball’s first offence occurred on February 19 at around 10.30pm when he unlawfully entered the Victoria Place home of a man with two children.

One youngster was in bed while the other was playing with his father on an Xbox.

“He was found hiding under a kitchen table, challenged and fled upstairs,” said prosecutor Brendan Burke.

“He locked himself in the toilet but not before punching the man a number of times, causing bruising and swelling. He had a cigarette in the toilet which ultimately was his own downfall. DNA was recovered from that.”

Ball then fled having stolen a silver ring and good bracelet.

A bedroom was ransacked by Ball while the occupant described afterwards being angry at his intrusion, especially as children were inside at the time.

Ball’s other offending was committed in late April against his ex-partner, the pair having had an on-off relationship which she ended “because of his violence and cocaine abuse”.

The woman told Ball he could not return to live with her.

“He grabbed her hair, punched her in the face multiple times, causing bruising, a burst lip with blood all over her clothes,” said Mr Burke.

Ball also stole a key and, when his ex-partner went to Manchester, he sent her a voice message. “I hope you enjoy your night out. It’s going to be an expensive one and when you get back you’re in for a surprise,” he’d stated.

Mr Burke said: “When she returned the next day, she found he had been in, ripped various items of clothing, smashed the lock on the washing machine, damaged her child’s Xbox beyond repair with some kind of liquid, and stolen underwear and other intimate items which were found at his address when he was arrested.

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

Jeff Smith, defending, accepted Ball’s crimes passed the custody threshold but urged Recorder Peter Atherton to consider “the possibility of his rehabilitation”. Ball, he said, had turned to the extreme abuse of alcohol and abuse of cocaine after the deaths of loved ones.

Jailing Ball, Recorder Atherton told him: “There are aspects of your behaviour about which I have heard which cause me some serious concern about your personality and your inability to control yourself and your attitude towards (the woman).

“It is suggestive of a controlling and coercive personality which can have serious consequences, as indeed they have had.

"It is going to be important for you to gain some insight into your personality and make changes.”

Ball was also banned from contacting his ex for 10 years.