Jordan Cuthill, 26, from Houghton, Wearside, received a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court after he smashed into a grandfather’s home
A jilted lover smashed his way into a grandfather’s home with a sledgehammer over a ‘liked’ Facebook photo on his ex-girlfriend’s profile.
Jordan Cuthill was ‘massively offended’ when he saw his former partner’s picture was liked by a married granddad on the social media site.
The 26-year-old attacker used his own Facebook profile to send messages to the married granddad, which gradually became more and more aggressive in tone, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
It was on July 17 that Cuthill, who has an existing criminal record, and two of his friends smashed into the victim’s home while they were asleep.
Prosecutor Jolyon Perks told the court: ‘It was around 6am, he woke to the sound of his kitchen door being smashed in.
‘He ran down into the kitchen and could see the defendant, holding a sledgehammer above his head, with two other males.
‘He said he looked completely crazy and spaced out, he had a grin on his face.’
Cuthill did not harm anyone in the house in Houghton, Wearside, but left a little girl who was sleeping in the house ‘scared to death’ by his reckless home invasion.
The 26-year-old also sent threatening messages on Facebook to the victim where he threatened to kill him unless he withdrew his complaint to the police.
When Cuthill found out he had been reported to the police, he again took to Facebook to threaten he would have the victim killed if he did not retract it.
Cuthill, of Swaledale Crescent, Houghton, admitted affray, causing criminal damage and witness intimidation.
He looked completely crazy and spaced out, he had a grin on his face
Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced him to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years with rehabilitation requirements and a four month, night time, curfew.
Cuthill was also ordered to ‘adjust to the way of Facebook’ and labelled his actions as ‘juvenile, ridiculous and criminal’.
Judge Rippon added: ‘Young women put pictures on Facebook in the hope people will like it and lots of people do.
‘It doesn’t mean more than that.’
Cuthill has also recieved a job offer which he plans to accept immediately.
The court heard Cuthill has told officials that the time on remand has done him ‘the world of good’.