A 43-year-old man was ordered to pay compensation after smashing through the door of his ex-partner’s home.

Gareth Mcleod, of Topsham Road, Exeter, pleaded guilty to criminal damage and using violence to secure entry at Exeter Magistrates’ Court.

On February 11 last year, Mcleod attended Lancelot Road in Exeter, where the mother of his two children was living. He was drunk and verbally abusive, the court heard.

When his ex-partner said to him: “Do you honestly think I do nothing?” he replied, “Don’t talk to me like that you cheeky bitch.”

The court heard he tried to get into the address, and upon realising the door was locked, punched the window and the door.

He smashed through the door, knocking it completely off its frame. When Mcleod gained entry, he realised a family member was on the phone to police and promptly left.

The court heard his children were present in the front room at the time of the offences.

He caused a total of £999.55 worth of damage to the window, door and lock.

Mcleod’s defence lawyer said that the complainant and defendant have made up since the incident, but at the time were having difficulties in their relationship. They are now separated and co-parent their two young children with no issues.

The defence added that the door was already damaged and the complainant had already reported this to the council, but nothing was done to fix it.

The bench ordered Mcleod to pay 75 per cent of the damage, contributing about £750.

This story was produced via the Police & Crime Commissioner’s Criminal Justice Court Reporting scheme.

A 52-year-old Exeter man has pleaded not guilty to charges relating to an incident with his two XL Bully dogs.

The allegation is that he was the owner of two dogs which were dangerously out of control, with no injury caused, in Exwick on August 23 last year.

Gulam Choudhury, of St Andrews Road, Exeter, is also charged with intentional disorderly behaviour from an incident with police officers from September 1 last year.

It is alleged that one of Choudhury’s dogs attacked another dog, which the defendant denies.

Two trials will be held at Exeter Magistrates’ Court for the two separate charges, on July 3 and 10.

Choudhury was granted unconditional bail for both the alleged offences.

This story was produced via the Police & Crime Commissioner’s Criminal Justice Court Reporting scheme

A 48-year-old man has pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention after he hit a stationary bus.

The incident took place on July 9 last year at Backwell, North Somerset

Dylon Saini, of Rollsbridge Farm, Exeter, was driving a Volvo on the A370 just before 1pm, when he crashed into a stationary bus. The incident was captured on CCTV.

Exeter Magistrates’ Court heard the vehicle had pulled into a bus stop for about ten seconds, with passengers leaving and boarding the bus.

Werjinder Baines, prosecuting, said no effort was made to slow down or stop. Saini told police he had been attempting to overtake the bus, but an oncoming vehicle left him with no time to carry out the manoeuvre.

Saini previously denied the offence but pleaded guilty when he appeared in court.

The defendant, representing himself, said: “On that day it was really hot. The air conditioning didn’t work. I think I had a blackout because I can’t remember anything else.”

District Judge Stuart Smith challenged whether his statement to the police had been a lie: “Why did you tell the police that a car was coming the other direction? Was that a lie?”

In response, Saini said he felt “scared” at the time.

The court heard that at the time of the offence the defendant had been driving for work. Saini said he had recently been made redundant and had enrolled in college.

Sentencing, Judge Smith, said: “It looks like quite a horrific impact from that footage… It appears to me that there was some kind of distraction. You have indicated to me that you were unconscious at the wheel. I don’t know the reality of that, but you certainly didn’t observe the bus.”

Saini was fined £150 and faces a 12-month driving ban, as well as six penalty points on his licence. He must also pay a victim surcharge of £60 and court costs of £85.

• This story was produced via the Police & Crime Commissioner’s Criminal Justice Court Reporting scheme.