Man who threatened to kill his aunt while holding an axe escapes jail

A MAN who threatened to kill his aunt while brandishing an axe has been given a 14-month suspended sentence.

Wayne Noble, 38, of Heights Road in Upton, pleaded guilty to threatening Anita Rogers with an axe, assaulting her by beating and sending her threatening messages.

The incident happened on August 15 last year, outside Mrs Rogers’ home in RingwoodRoad, Poole.

At Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday, the court heard how Noble had shown up at Mrs Rogers’s address following a text conversation.Sarah Jones, prosecuting, told the court Mrs Rogers had text Noble asking him not to show up to her house “drunk again” when her grandchildren were visiting and threatened to call the police if he did.

In response Noble sent a number of texts to Mrs Rogers threatening to “smash her head in” and calling her names before showing up at her house just after 5pm.

Miss Jones told the court Noble “jumped out of the van brandishing an axe, which was a type of hatchet axe”.

“He held the axe to the victim’s face and threatened to kill her,” added Mrs Jones.

Noble then pushed her up against a fence and kicked her in the hip.

Mrs Rogers picked herself up and as the defendant made to leave the scene, he was still brandishing the axe and making threats, including telling the victim “I will kill you, don’t think this is over”.

Miss Jones also read a number of voicemails left on the phone of Brian Rogers, the victim’s ex-partner, by Noble. In the messages Noble said he was going to “knock her out, probably kill her” and put the axe “straight through her head”.

Mrs Rogers suffered bruises to both arms in the attack.

Charles Gabb, defending, told the court Noble was a “hard-working person who hadn’t been in trouble before”.

“There was family history which bubbled to a head on that particular day,” added Mr Gabb.

“He obviously very angry and clearly lost his temper significantly.

“He has already spent 21 weeks in custody and this is not something he has taken lightly and it has had a real impact on him and his family both emotionally and financially.