A jealous ex-boyfriend has been jailed after carrying out a terrifying axe attack at his former partner’s home.

Daniel Dell, 31, of Westminster Road, Hoole, was sentenced to six years in prison at Chester Crown Court yesterday.

Dell had been in a long-term relationship with Gema Littler but the couple broke up in the spring, leaving Mr Dell in “emotional turmoil”.

Months later, Miss Littler met up with another man – Greg Moffatt – in Chester city centre and he had given her a lift back to her home in Littleton.

The pair were in the living room in the early hours of Sunday,
July 16, when Dell burst in brandishing an axe.

He attacked Mr Moffatt, swinging the axe at him twice – catching him on the back of his left thigh with his first blow before hitting him in the groin, causing an injury which later required stitches.

He then chased Mr Moffatt out of the house and into the street – shouting “Come here!” – but gave up the chase when his victim found sanctuary in another property.

Dell then returned to Miss Littler’s house – where he had once lived with her and their two young children – and swung the axe at his former partner, missing her and hitting a wall. He then damaged a coffee table and kitchen units before leaving.

The couple’s children had been asleep upstairs at the time of the attack but were woken by the disturbance.

When police arrived, they managed to speak to Dell on the phone but he refused to surrender himself.

Police went in search of him and later found his van, with the axe he used inside it.

Prosecuting, Peter Hussey said Miss Littler was “shocked” by the whole ordeal, adding: “She had never seen him (Dell) like this before.

“She shouted at him to stop. She could hear her children screaming upstairs.”

Mr Hussey said Mr Moffatt had been “stressed out” and “fearful” since the attack and was still in physical pain from his injury.

Jeremy Rowson, defending, described Dell as “a man of hitherto excellent character with a strong work ethic”.

Mr Rowson added: “It was an aberration in terms of his conduct. He reacted badly to being ignored by his former partner.

“There were feelings of loss, jealously and rejection. He did what he did and he regrets it.”

Dell accepted he had been drinking alcohol before carrying out the attack.

Judge Nicholas Woodward accepted Dell had been in “emotional turmoil” and the offences were “completely out of character” but he told him: “It does not explain or excuse your behaviour.”

Dell pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and wounding with intent. He was sentenced to six years and two years respectively, with the sentences to run concurrently.