Man jailed for knife threats after beach argument

A man who armed himself with a knife and threatened to kill a woman he met during community service has been jailed for 15 months.

Jean Izquierdo, 27, of Brunswick Street, Swansea city centre, turned up at the woman’s flat at midnight armed with a blade after becoming aggressive and abusive on Swansea beach on 15 May this year.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Izquierdo met the complainant whilst on community service and they became friends, with their relationship remaining “platonic” throughout. The woman occasionally helped him out financially and secured him work with a relative.

Prosecutor Emily Bennett told the court that whilst part of a group on Swansea beach, Izquierdo became aggressive after the woman popped to the shops with a man known as “Morocco”. He accused her of having sex with his friends and grabbed her, “screaming” at her that he was going to kill her.

Later that day, Izquierdo turned up at her flat shouting threats and kicking the door. When the woman warned via WhatsApp that she would call police, he replied: “Today I am going to jail but your death is happy.”

At around midnight, the woman heard stones being thrown at her window. When she looked out, she saw Izquierdo holding a knife, demanding to be let in and saying he was going to kill her.

Police arrived and found Izquierdo trying to get into the communal area of the flats. Officers drew their Tasers as the defendant, who was “extremely agitated”, advanced towards them. He eventually dropped to his knees and was arrested. Officers recovered a four-and-a-half inch long knife from the waistband of his trousers.

In her victim impact statement, the woman said she had left Swansea for Manchester following the incident. Upon her return, she struggled to move forward with her life, with the stress leading to self-harming and some of her hair falling out.

Izquierdo pleaded guilty to possession of a knife and harassment putting a person in fear of violence. He has five previous convictions for six offences including possession of a knife, public disorder, and matters of violence.

Defence advocate Andrew Evans said it was his client’s wish to return to Spain to be reunited with his daughter “as swiftly as possible”.

Judge Huw Rees told Izquierdo that his jealousy had led him to becoming “vindictive” and to “persistently harassing” the woman. He said that by his actions the defendant had “demeaned her as a woman”.

With a discount for his guilty pleas, Izquierdo was sentenced to 15 months in prison. He will serve up to half the sentence in custody before being released on licence.