Knife-wielding Northampton man jailed after threatening elderly woman caught on doorbell camera

Jamie Allen, aged 29, targeted the elderly couple near his home in Duston on June 11 after they had previously challenged him over dumping the contents of a wheelbarrow near their property, police said.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesperson said Allen had been on his way to a woman’s home after making threats to kill her when he took exception to being filmed by the couple’s residential camera.

Allen, of Gifford Court, Limehurst Square, approached their front door, pulled off the doorbell cover and poured alcohol over it. When the couple opened the door, he began shouting before producing a knife from his waistband, police said.

Police said Allen continued behaving aggressively and, when the woman grabbed his arm to prevent further damage, he threatened to stab her before spitting in her face and walking away.

At the time, Allen was already wanted by Northamptonshire Police after his ex-partner reported controlling and coercive behaviour during their relationship.

He was subsequently charged with two counts of threats to kill, assault by beating, possessing a knife blade in public, criminal damage and engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour.

Allen pleaded guilty to five offences at Northampton Crown Court, with one count of threats to kill ordered to remain on file.

On September 4, he was sentenced to 42 months in prison.

Allen was also handed an indefinite restraining order protecting the elderly couple and a five-year restraining order relating to his ex-partner, prohibiting direct or indirect contact.

Detective Constable Rachael McDaid, from the Domestic Abuse Investigation Unit, said Allen had used “threats, intimidation and violence to control and frighten those around him”.

She praised his ex-partner for reporting his controlling and coercive behaviour and the elderly couple for standing up to him despite his “threatening and aggressive behaviour”.