A BLACKBURN man was ordered to serve a second prison sentence as a result of an incident that started outside the home of his former partner.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Garry Entwistle, 42, was armed with a baseball bat as he shouted abuse outside the house in Kingsbridge Street, Mill Hill.

And when police finally caught up with Entwistle he struggled violently, punching, kicking and biting PC Neil Cookson.

Entwistle, of St James Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour, assaulting a police constable and criminal damage to the officer's wedding ring, which was bent when Entwistle stamped on his hand. Stipendiary magistrate Jonathon Finestein sent Entwistle to prison for 10 weeks.

The court heard that, at the time of the incident, Entwistle had been in breach of a county court injunction and he had already served a one-month sentence for that.

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said Entwistle had been making threats from outside the house where his ex-wife and two young children were. When police arrived he had gone but returned later.

He was on the the front garden wielding what looked like a baseball bat and shouting further threats. He again left before police got there, but at 5am police returned and chased Entwistle on to the nearby canal tow path.

"When he was approached by PC Cookson he became violent," said Mr Harrison.

Oliver Goldman defending, revealed that Entwistle had already served a one-month sentence for breaching the county court restraining order.

"When his former partner found a new man he tried to take an overdose and ended up in hospital," said Mr Goldman. "He wanted a reconciliation and that was the only reason he was at the house."

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