News Beat
Bolton man jailed after breaching restraining order
Michael Walmsley, aged 33, had previously been in a relationship with the woman from 2016 to 2021, during which they had a daughter together.
A restraining order was imposed following its breakdown, with Walmsley ordered not to contact her.
But he harassed her, breaching the order and threatening to destroy her property.
In 2023 Walmsley was locked up for his offences, but Bolton Crown Court heard that even that did not stop him from contacting her.
On December 8, he was brought before the court to be sentenced for three further breaches of the restraining order.
Prosecuting, Alex Beevers told the court how Walmsley, of Marsey Road, Breightmet, contacted his ex-partner on January 10 last year, on which date he would have been in prison.
He reportedly “made threats towards her so she would stay in contact with him”.
The woman continued to have contact with the defendant following this, as she believed that “he had changed”, before realising it was “untrue”, telling him she no longer wished to speak with him.
Mr Beevers said: “This led to a number of threats being made towards her.”
The second breach took place on August 17 this year, when following a mental health appointment, Walmsley messaged the woman.
He said his head was “done in” because he was “not seeing (his) daughter” and that he “couldn’t take it anymore”.
Walmsley threatened suicide and sent her a photo of tablets, to which the woman said that he “needed help”.
Following this, he sent her other abusive and threatening messages, including: “I’ve got nothing to lose you stupid c***” and “Ignore this then, I’m on my way to yours. I’m causing carnage today” and “I’m taking my daughter away from you”.
Detailing the third breach, Mr Beevers said: “On September 20 at around 6.45pm, (the woman) got a call from a withheld number. She answered and there was no response.”
She got another call a minute later and heard the defendant shouting “what the f*** have you said to the police”, saying that they had tried to arrest him but that he “ran away” and that she was “f***ed now”.
Read more: Groomers took ‘dignity, self worth and identity’ of teenage girls
Read more: Man charged with rape of two teenage girls in Bolton
Read more: WATCH: Police had to crash into dangerous driver going wrong way on M62 in pursuit
A third call then came from a withheld number, but she did not answer it, assuming it to be Walmsley.
In her victim personal statement, the woman said: “The whole experience with Michael constantly breaching his bail conditions, he has served time in prison and only then do I feel safe.
“Despite the restraining order he continues to breach them.”
Walmsley pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to three counts of breach of a restraining order.
He had 29 convictions for 56 offences, including previous breaches of restraining orders.
Defending, Andrew Costello highlighted his client’s plea at the first opportunity.
He said: “He knows what he has done is wrong and is ashamed of his repeat offending.”
Mr Costello said how Walmsley had heard from social services that it would be a long time before he could do anything but supervised visits with his children, and that he and his ex were trying to facilitate contact outside of the social services arena.
He added: “He wants his daughter to have a normal upbringing, and he recognises that by shortcutting it, he has made the wait longer.”
Mr Costello added that he had a “trusted position” of cleaner while on remand in prison, and said he is willing to engage with social services upon release.
Sentencing, Recorder Mark Ainsworth said: “You are 33 and have a poor record, but in particular you have demonstrated a complete disregard for court orders.
“When a court makes an order, I have no doubt that judges and magistrates would have said what the consequences were if you breach it – and here you are.”
He said that the restraining order “will remain in place”, but said that if Walmsley continues to breach it, all that will happen is “the sentences will become longer and longer”.
Recorder Ainsworth sentenced him to three years imprisonment, one year for each breach of the restraining order.
