A “SUCCESSFUL businessman” who terrified his estranged wife and her lover after brandishing a large knife in her home and making threats to kill her boyfriend was jailed.

Anthony Haines, 49, was initially handed a suspended prison sentence and restraining order but is now behind bars after he breached both their terms just a month after being imposed.

He was warned not to contact his former partner but ignored the court orders after making two phone calls, the second of which saw him shout obscenities down the line at her.

In March, Cardiff Crown Court heard how Haines had smashed a window by punching it before poking his head through his wife’s living room and threatening to her kill new boyfriend.

Prosecutor Suzanne Payne said Haines and his spouse’s 32-year marriage had broken down in December.

The defendant, of Tanybryn, Pontymister, Risca, was drinking in Newport before he went to her house just after midnight on February 9.

The “catalyst” for the violence was an argument about mortgage payments.

After smashing the window, Miss Payne said Haines, “bright red with rage”, then got into the house through an unlocked back door.

She said: “The defendant was shouting, ‘I’m going to kill you’, and picked up a large kitchen knife.

“Brandishing the knife, he said, ‘I’m going to shove this up your ****.’”

The defendant then left and was arrested a few hours later by police getting out of a taxi at his new partner’s home after leaving a trail of his own blood behind at the house.

Haines, who only had one previous conviction from more than 30 years ago for an “unrelated matter”, admitted affray and making threats to kill.

On that occasion, he was described in mitigation as a “successful, self-made businessman”.

Judge Nicola Jones jailed him for a total of 16 months, suspended for 18 months, ordered him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and to undertake a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was also made the subject of a two-year restraining order not to contact either victim.

But, prosecutor Jason Howells told Cardiff Crown Court, Haines breached his suspended sentence and the restraining order when he telephoned his wife twice on April 30, abusing her during the second call.

The defendant admitted both charges.

Nicholas Gedge, mitigating, said: “This is a sad case. The breakdown of the marriage has had a serious effect on him and being remanded in custody (since his arrest in April) has been devastating.”

His barrister said his client had made the abusive phone call after the funeral of a family member and added that Haines suffers from depression.

Mr Gedge said the defendant’s recycling and skip hire business which employed five people who be “wound down” if he went to prison.

Judge Jones said she had suspended Haines’ sentence as a “last resort” in March and was now going to activate it.

She told him her warning to him last time “would have been ringing in your ears” when he committed these further offences.

The defendant was jailed for 16 months and told to pay a £115 victim surcharge upon his release.