A MOTHER who has repeatedly breached court orders banning her from having any contact with her ex-partner has been given a final chance to avoid another prison term.
Hayley Bratby pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to putting Daniel Browning in fear of violence by harassment by repeatedly breaching a restraining order.
Bratby (24) of London Road, Coventry, who also admitted common assault on an emergency worker, was sentenced to 20 months in prison suspended for two years.
She was also ordered to take part in a domestic violence programme and to do 100 hours of unpaid work.
Prosecutor Paul Fairley said Bratby had previously been in a relationship with Mr Browning who had sole custody of their five-year-old child.
Following the break-down of the relationship Bratby was made subject to a non-molestation order in 2016, but there were no fewer than three breaches of the order the following year.
Then in April 2018 she was given a 21-month suspended sentence and made subject to a restraining order for ten years after slashing Mr Browning with a kitchen knife.
But in November last year she went to Mr Browning’s home and walked in after the door had been opened by his other son and went looking for her child.
She left after Mr Browning found her cuddling the child.
There were various other incidents which included Bratby turning up at his workplace, contacting his customers and making numerous phone calls to him.
Judge Anthony Potter observed: “She has damaged property in the past, and he has found running his business very difficult because of her actions.”
But despite her persistent harassment of him, Mr Fairley stressed: “He says he doesn’t want to get her into trouble, he simply wants it to stop.”
After Bratby was arrested she was taken to the police station where she was asked to remove her jewellery, but refused to take off a neck chain.
As a female officer tried to remove it, Bratby, whose last two breaches of the restraining order had led to immediate prison sentences, kicked her to the face, added Mr Fairley.
Niall Skinner, defending, said: “Yes this behaviour must stop, and it is to the victim’s credit that that is all he wants.”
He said the reason it had not stopped was because of an ongoing desire by Bratby, a dental nurse, to see their child.
Sentencing Bratby, Judge Anthony Potter told her: “You had a relationship with Daniel Browning that led to the birth of a child.
“For the majority of his life you have been unable to play a part in his upbringing because of the way you have behaved towards Mr Browning when the relationship ended.
“He describes you as devious and manipulative, and someone who does not care who they hurt and how your actions upset people. I can see exactly why he thinks that, and what you did in November and December last year will do nothing to change his view of that.
“This was just part of a pattern of behaviour that has gone on now for a number of years. You have breached the order now on a number of occasions. You have made his life a misery.
“He does not feel, remarkably, any particular animus towards you, he just wants it to stop.
“I have read with care your letter, and I have read with even more care the report from your offender manager and what she has to say about the change in your behaviour.
“I am just persuaded I can suspend the sentence. It seems that finally you have reached the crucial point of accepting you are going to have to comply with orders. This is your final chance.”
