A dad-to-be will miss the birth of his third child after a judge sent him inside – saying: “This is the end of the road.”

Ricky Ryan, 37, was sentenced to 24 weeks imprisonment in what will be his third stint behind bars this year.

Revoking an earlier community order and sending him inside, District Judge Kamlesh Rana said: “This is the end of the road, Mr Ryan. I’ve no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence.”

Earlier, Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard that Ryan was at the Jet garage in Station Road, Wantage, on September 4 buying tobacco when he overheard one of the store assistants identifying him to a colleague.

He flew into a rage and charged at the counter, shouting ‘I’m going to f***ing kill you both’.

Ryan did not come good on his threat; instead leaving the store having swiped some pork scratchings and chewing gum.

Two-and-a-half weeks later, on September 22, he went to the Wantage home of the couple who had sold him a ‘dud’ car a few days earlier.

He was punching his palm as he told the woman to fetch her husband. Ryan, who had shoved his foot in the door to prevent it from being shut in his face, said: “You’ve got 24 hours to get my money or I’ll get people here. You don’t know who I am.”

When the woman got out her phone to call 999, Ryan said: “You dirty ****. You called the police. You’re dead. I’m from London, I’ll have people here to sort you out.” He threatened to stamp on her phone.

Ryan left before the police arrived, prosecutor Jay Singh said. But he was identified from his description and earlier contact with the couple over the car he bought.

The defendant, of Meadow Way, Theale, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to threatening behaviour, theft, threats to cause criminal damage and common assault. He had 23 previous convictions for 56 offences.

Mitigating, Andrew Storch asked the judge to impose a sentence that would ensure his client – who had spent the past three weeks on remand – could get to the hospital at the weekend, when his heavily-pregnant partner would be induced by midwives.

“He wants to be there. She wants him to be there,” the solicitor said.

Mr Storch acknowledged Ryan had a temper. The second set of offences were prompted by the breakdown of a car that Ryan and his partner had only recently bought from the victims for £750, the court heard. He went to their home in search of a refund.

The solicitor said: “He knows the right way to do it is through the courts. He just wanted to say ‘look, you’ve sold us a dud car, give us our money back’.”

Ryan must pay £200 in compensation to the four victims.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

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