Estate agent jailed after diesel and bleach attack

A jealous estate agent has been jailed for two months after dousing the bed of his ex-partner with diesel fuel and pouring bleach into her underwear drawer.

Timothy Neal, 52, an agent in Devon, allegedly used a key to get access to the home of Nicola Davey - another Devon agent - after he heard that she was seeing another man. 

The Exeter Express & Echo and the Western Morning News papers and websites report that Neal also sent texts calling her a witch and suggested he would kill himself. 

The papers report that Exeter Crown Court has heard that Neal was jailed for two months after pleading guilty to criminal damage, but as he had already served 98 days on remand he was released immediately. He must also pay £2,000 in compensation.

Neal is now subject to a restraining order banning him from going back to Davey's house in Paignton, where Neal himself also lived until a few months before the attack. Neal and Davey had previously been in a relationship for some 16 years.

Davey's lawyer told the court: "Miss Davey has made a victim statement saying she was horrified by what she came home to. She feels her home and her sanctuary has been violated and believes it was done out of pure evil and hatred. She now feels vulnerable in her own home."

Neal's defence said Neal was very sorry, was keen to compensate his ex-partner, and believed he had received mixed messages from her.