Man jailed for gun threat to wife

Oct 19 2006

A MAN who burst into the home of his estranged wife wearing a balaclava and threatened her with a gun has been jailed for six years.

Judge John Warner told Michael Osborne at Wolverhampton Crown Court he had "terrified" his wife and it was clear she thought she was going to be shot.

Osborne, he added, had breached a restraining order to keep away from his wife, Hayley, and it was clear she had been harassed.

"You not only put her in fear of violence but when you were on bail and told to stay away you entered her home," he said.

"You entered the bedroom where she was asleep, she was awoken by you wearing the balaclava and you were carrying a firearm."

At his earlier trial at Stafford Crown Court, Osborne, 34, of Horsefair, Rugeley, had denied possessing a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and also putting a person in fear of violence by harassment.

He was convicted on both charges by a jury.

Gerald Bermingham, defending, said Osborne had kept out of trouble with police for 17 years.

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