Hartlepool man endangered woman's life and caused properties to be evacuated with 'reckless' gas leak

Reis Patterson damaged a gas meter by slamming a door against it during an argument with his then partner, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The “reckless act” on December 11 last year caused neighbouring properties to be evacuated.

Kate Barnes, prosecuting, said: “It led to the gas meter at the property coming away from the wall of the address causing a leak which led to the neighbouring addresses being evacuated.”

The landlord forked out £160 to repair the meter and estimated he lost around £500 in businesses from a pizza shop below which had to be closed for two days.

Patterson, 26, of Whitby Street, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to criminal damage being reckless whether life was endangered as well as damaging a Christmas tree and a table, at an earlier court hearing.

He was sentenced to a two-year community order.

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Paul Watson, said the offence involving the gas meter crossed the custody threshold.

But he said he could draw back from it because of Patterson’s mitigation including a lack of previous convictions.

Judge Watson said: “It’s easy to see here the consequences that could be so very much worse.

"Fortunately, the whole thing was contained very quickly and the damage was relatively limited.”

Patterson will also have to complete 120 hours of community work, attend a domestic abuse programme and pay £160 compensation for the damage to the meter.