A wealthy businessman has been forced to move out of his £1.3million mansion after he drunkenly threatened to kill his wife when he couldn’t get into his house after a night out.
Construction boss Anthony Roberts, 51, had been out for drinks and curry with a friend but struggled to get his front door key in the lock when he arrived home.
Wife Joanne, 49, answered his knocking at 12.30am and asked him why he was not using his key but Roberts, believing he had been locked out, had a meltdown and retorted: ‘You’re an absolute p**k, you’re a p**k.’
Anthony Roberts appeared outside Manchester Magistrates’ Court after he threatened to kill his Joanne in a drunken outburst after he couldn’t get his key into the lock of their home
As she burst into tears, the company managing director added: ‘F**k off before I f**king stab you, you p**k.
He then said: ‘Do you know what your life is? I’m going to make your life so much hell. I’m going to kill you. You’re going to die, you’re going to die.’
During the incident Mrs Roberts used her mobile phone to record the foul mouthed tirade and was heard weeping in the background as she begged her husband to stop.
She later forwarded the recording to her mother saying: ‘Listen to this.’
It emerged the couple’s house in Bowdon, Cheshire had previously been targeted in an armed robbery and Mrs Roberts was already in a state of panic when she heard her drunken husband’s bungled efforts to gain entry.
He has since moved out of the five bedroomed property which he had put in his wife’s name for ‘tax purposes.’
In an unusual legal move Roberts’ lawyer also tried to persuade a judge to grant him anonymity – but the request was refused.
In a statement Mrs Roberts told police: ‘I was really scared of him at the time he made these threats. There was also a knock on effect and now even when I get a call or message from him, I’m scared and don’t know what to do.
‘I don’t know what he is going to say or threaten next. I’m scared to be in the same room with him on my own.’
Joanne Roberts was terrified and said she was living in fear of her wealthy husband Anthony
At Manchester magistrates court, Roberts, now of Hale, near Altrincham, faced trial accused of making a threat to kill his now estranged wife which can fetch a maximum sentence of ten years in jail.
But his guilty plea to the lesser charge of common assault which only has a maximum of six months imprisonment was accepted by prosecutors.
He was banned from contacting his wife for two years under the terms of a restraining order after her recording of the incident on November 29 last year was played at the hearing.
The court heard the couple had been going through the throes of divorce but had agreed to live under the same roof and ‘tensions’ had been building between them.
They boiled over after Roberts went to see a client but then went out for drinks and then a curry with a friend.
The couples’ £1.3million home, where they both lived together even though they had already started divorce proceedings. Mr Roberts thought his wife had locked him out
Prosecutor Miss Samira Choudhry said: ‘He returned home at 12:30 at night and there were issues with him getting into the property.
‘The complainant comes down to help him and that is when he speaks to her in a certain manner when she asked him: ‘Why are you knocking at the door when you can get in?’.’
The prosecutor added: ‘On the night itself she didn’t call 999 because she was worried police would arrive with sirens on so she called 111.
‘The next morning she did see the defendant in the kitchen. She advised him she had called the police but he said: ‘good’ and ‘isn’t it a good thing they didn’t show up.’
Officers then came the next day and a full statement was provided. It is a serious offence – you have heard the recording itself.’
The court heard Roberts had a previous public order conviction from 1986.
In mitigation defence lawyer Elizabeth Ridgway said: ‘He accepted he had done something very wrong and accepted he was due to be punished and we were trying to find the right offence for him to plead guilty to.
‘He accepts his behaviour put the complainant in fear. This took place in the very early hours and within a week he moved out.’
She added: ‘After divorce proceedings had started they had both been advised not to leave the premises. Fortunately it is a very luxurious property with enough rooms and space for the two of them to live independently.
‘But he felt this was an accident waiting to happen and very sadly that accident did happen.
‘He went out for the evening with friends for drinks at the local wine bar and afterwards he couldn’t get back into the address. The house had previously been subject to a very serious armed robbery in which a whole lot of men with balaclavas on came in.
‘On this occasion the complainant was starting to panic clearly when she heard banging whilst upstairs.
‘My client is the first to accept his behaviour is totally unacceptable but he had been outside for 15 minutes and it was cold wet November evening. He actually wondered if she had done it on purpose locking him out.
‘He didn’t know he was being recorded and clearly she texted the recording to her mother saying: ‘listen to this.’
‘He didn’t grab her, he didn’t have her in the corner or anything like that they were stood near each other.
‘They had a normal breakfast the next morning and she didn’t phone the police at all that night.
‘He stayed in the house on Saturday and isn’t arrested until Sunday.
‘He accepts these words never should have been said – and for his sins this court process has been a significant punishment.
‘However the parties seem to have moved on and both were recently at a large church service and were sat in the same pew.
‘Whilst it was a very unpleasant incident that should never have happened, he had a moment of madness.’
A probation report read to the court said: ‘The couple have been going through a protracted divorce living in the same premises and there are naturally going to be tensions.
The property is a large expensive property fully in the name of his wife for tax purposes.
‘He has his own business since 2011 and they are financially secure. The money is tied up in property.
‘Mr Roberts does express his deep regret at what he has done and he is deeply apologetic.
‘He describes having a perfectly standard day. He came home then had to go back to a client’s house and then met a friend at an Indian restaurant.
‘He had five or six bottles of Peroni and he doesn’t usually drink.
‘The beer is 4.7 per cent and for somebody who doesn’t drink a lot it is quite strong. This has been a one off incident although deeply unpleasant.’
Roberts was also ordered to complete a 12 month community order, 220 hours unpaid work and pay costs and surcharges of £710.
District Judge John Temperley told him: Your words incited in your former wife a fear of serious injury. The time and location are aggravating factors and you were in drink.’