A MAN who attacked his partner and broke into a pharmacy to steal prescription drugs has been locked up.

Gary Faulkner, of Beechwood Road in Rhyl, appeared at Mold Crown Court via video link from prison on Thursday.

The 35-year-old had previously been convicted of offences including perverting the course of justice, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon in a private place and burglary.

Amy Edwards, prosecuting, told the court that the victim of the assault was Kelsey Osbourne - the defendant's then partner.

They had been together since July the previous year, but Faulkner became physically abusive from around February this year.

On June 3, he woke her by slapping her to the face and pouring water on her.

He then threw a sheet of wood chipping at her, with the object landing on and hurting her feet.

Faulkner left the property, but returned 20 minutes later with a metal dog lead.

After forcing entry back into the property, he held a metal bar and told her: "If you don't get out now, I'm going to take your kneecaps out."

The victim ran screaming into the street, where Faulkner smacked her to the thigh with the lead.

The attacks left her with bruising and swelling to her face, toes and leg.

Then, on June 7, the defendant broke into Parry's Corner Pharmacy in Rhyl by smashing a panel on a side door and stole numerous items including ten boxes of prescription diazepam.

He then barged into the home of his mother, Kim Faulkner.

When she figured out that the medication he was carrying in a bag for life was likely stolen, the police were called and he ran.

During a search for him, a curved sword was found in the main bedroom of his address.
And when he was finally caught and taken to custody, Faulkner called his sister Joanne and told her: "You need to speak to mum and get her to withdraw her statement.

"If she does, they will let me go.

Gary Faulkner (NWP)Gary Faulkner (NWP) (Image: North Wales Police) "Put mum in the car and bring her to the station."

He claimed that at the time of making those demands, he was "rattling" without his methadone.

The court heard the offences put him in breach of a suspended sentence as well.

Thomas McLoughlin, defending, told the court the sword had been a "display" item but there was little he could say to dissuade the Judge from having it taken and destroyed.

He said: "It's clear from speaking to Mr Faulkner today that time in prison has served him well.

"This is a man who has in the very recent past had very serious substance misuse issues.

MORE NEWS

"The fact he was on methadone makes it clear, I suggest, that the background of this was in part as a result of his addiction.

"I suggest this is a man who is now able to make further progress an the risk to the public can be mitigated by a combination of a restraining order and allowing alternative measures to custody.

"He deeply regrets what he's done and accepts that at the time he had a problem.

"It's not an excuse, but an explanation."

Judge Timothy Petts jailed the defendant for a total of 25 months, telling him that even if the final term had fallen into the suspendable range of 24 months, he'd have still taken the view that only immediate custody would suffice.