Spurned Edward White jailed for terrorising ex-girlfriend
A man who terrorised his former girlfriend and the OAP she looked after has been jailed for six years.
Edward White twice held Caron Brown, 39, hostage at knifepoint, along with 72-year-old Alex Gardner, in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire.
He admitted charges of assault and abduction over both incidents in July and August last year.
At the High Court in Glasgow, White was told he would be supervised for three years on his release from jail.
Jailing him, judge Lord Turnbull, said: "It is plain from the information before me...you were determined to take out your frustrations through threats, violence and wanted to assert your dominance."
'Controlling and jealous'
The court heard that White and Ms Brown had been in a short relationship last year but she had ended it as he was "controlling and jealous".
White claimed the relationship ended over a "trivial argument" to do with a pillow.
On 31 July, White burst into the house where Ms Brown worked as a housekeeper for retired nurse Alex Gardner.
White held the pair at knife-point for two hours while threatening to cut their throats.
The ordeal ended when Ms Brown agreed to chat with White about their relationship in a bid to calm him down.
White kept in touch with Ms Brown that week, but she again told him their relationship was over.
White returned to Mr Gardner's home on 20 August, believing he and Ms Brown were seeing each other.
Ms Brown was making dinner when White stormed in brandishing an eight-inch knife.
Begging for help
He threatened both of them and repeatedly punched the helpless pensioner who curled up in a ball to try and protect himself.
When police arrived, they could hear White yelling inside. They found a blood-soaked Mr Gardner who was begging for help.
Officers ushered Ms Brown and Mr Gardner safely outside, but were forced to retreat as White brandished a knife.
It took the use of CS spray and White being hit with a baton to get him to drop the weapon.
The court also heard that Ms Brown and Mr Gardner remain badly affected by what happened.
The retired nurse - who already had a heart condition and diabetes - has said he is now a "nervous wreck".
Ms Brown has since moved house and been offered counselling.