David Kilminster (Image: Facebook)
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A man who held a knife to his ex-partner’s throat at a holiday lodge – after wrongly accusing her of laughing at him while she watched television – has been spared jail.
David Kilminster, 35, of Monmouth Close, New Inn, near Pontypool, admitted threatening a person with a bladed article in a private place, battery, and four counts of shoplifting.
At the lodge
Kilminster and the woman had been together since August 2021 before separating around two years ago, prosecutor Abul Hussain told the court. When he became homeless in May, she agreed to let him stay with her, and the two travelled to a lodge in St Clears.
The trip turned sour on 9 May, when a phone call from Kilminster’s brother left him, in the victim’s words, in “a rage”. He demanded that she drive him back to Pontypool. She refused.
The attack
Later that evening, the woman was laughing at something on television when Kilminster accused her of laughing at him. She denied it. He walked into the kitchen, took a knife and swung it at her face. She managed to dodge, but the blade caught her hand and cut it.
He then pressed the knife to her throat before she broke free, elbowing her in the cheek during the struggle. Kilminster told her: ‘Get out before I f***ing kill you’. She ran to a neighbouring lodge and police were called.
The arrest
When officers arrived, Kilminster was using the knife to harm himself. They deployed a Taser to disarm him before arresting him and taking him to hospital.
Shoplifting on bail
The court heard the attack happened while Kilminster was already on bail over four thefts. He had taken a Henry Hoover from Sainsbury’s in Pontllanfraith on 19 March and a Ninja Foodi air fryer from Asda in Cwmbran on 23 March. On 20 April he stole a barbecue from Asda in Blackwood and a Shark vacuum cleaner from Sainsbury’s in Pontllanfraith.
Mitigation
Kevin Seal, mitigating, said his client had started drinking again after feeling “all at sea”, but had found some stability while on remand and had used the time to reflect on his behaviour. Mr Seal added that, three previous convictions for four offences aside, Kilminster had stayed out of trouble since 2010.
Sentencing
Recorder Christian Jowett handed Kilminster a 21-month sentence, suspended for 21 months. He must also complete 175 hours of unpaid work, a 12-month alcohol treatment requirement and 20 days of rehabilitation activity.
The woman was granted a five-year restraining order against Kilminster, who was also ordered to pay £180 in compensation to Sainsbury’s and £140 to Asda.
