Peterborough man who knocked ex-partner's mum to the ground and led police on pursuit jailed

A man who threatened suicide and led police on a pursuit after becoming threatening and aggressive has been jailed for more than a year.
Matthew PinfoldMatthew Pinfold
Matthew Pinfold

Matthew Pinfold (38) of Westbrook Avenue in Woodston, Peterborough, was arrested in the early hours of March 20 this year following the pursuit.

Pinfold’s ex-partner had called police after he turned up at her home and became aggressive. He pushed his way into the house after damaging the front door and knocked the victim’s mum to the ground.

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He demanded a bottle of gin and threatened to kill himself before making his way back outside and scratching two cars as well as breaking one of the windows.

Officers arrived just as Pinfold left and started following his car, directing him to pull over, which he did at a nearby club.

An officer got out but Pinfold reversed at speed towards the police car, nearly pinning the officer between them. He drove off, driving at excess speed through narrow residential streets before coming to a dead end. He jumped out his car and made off but was soon caught by officers.

Pinfold admitted dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen of breath, assault by beating and two counts of criminal damage and was yesterday (Thursday, May 31) jailed for a total of 56 weeks at Peterborough Crown Court.

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The sentence was four weeks for each of the criminal damage charges, to run concurrently, four weeks for breaching a suspended sentence, eight weeks for assault by beating, eight weeks for failing to provide a specimen of breath and 32 weeks for dangerous driving, all to run consecutively. He was also disqualified from driving for two years.

The suspended sentence was for an offence of battery after he had lashed out at another ex-partner and threatened suicide in June 2016.

DC King said: “It was fortunate the pursuit went down a dead end and finished so quickly, particularly with Pinfold in that frame of mind.

“Had the victim not called us when she did, we could have been dealing with a very different matter.”

For information and advice about domestic abuse visit the force website at www.cambs.police.uk/domesticabuse.