AN OAKRIDGE teenager has been told to “grow up” after he was handed a suspended prison sentence for breaching a restraining order against his pregnant ex-girlfriend. 

Gage Berry, of Bennett Close, was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, during his sentencing at Southampton Crown Court last week.

The 19-year-old originally pleaded guilty to contacting his ex-girlfriend on January 14 and 15 at a hearing on January 19 at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court.

He pleaded guilty to entering the victim’s flat, in Berwyn Close, Buckskin, Basingstoke on January 14 and sending non-threatening text messages to her on January 15.

Whilst awaiting sentencing, Berry then breached the order for a third time when he approached his ex, who now lives in Aldershot, outside Festival Place’s Build-a-Bear shop on April 18.

Prosecutor Andrew Houston told the court how the victim and her young son had been visiting Festival Place, and that as she was taking cash out of a machine, she heard Berry’s voice next to her. The court heard that Berry told her this was her “last chance” and she would “probably lose her kid”.

The victim and her son then walked into Build-a-Bear where staff said she was “scared and on the phone to the police” with a man “pacing up and down outside the shop”.

An impact statement read by Mr Houston from the victim said she had “effectively been made homeless” because she was moved to another part of the country and that she was “more scared for her boy’s future than her own”.

Mr Houston said: “The defendant’s impact on the victim caused her to effectively move home. It has been a huge impact and upheaval on her.”

Jason Halsey, who defended Berry, told the court there was evidence to show that up to 60 pages of text messages between Berry and his ex-girlfriend were exchanged with the words “I love you” used by both. 

He added: “Perhaps these gave Gage some hope it [the relationship] could be saved. He now knows that this relationship is finished – it has been made plain it is the end.

“The main aim for Gage Berry is to grow up. He needs to stop the shouting and being violent, the adolescent tantrums and get an education in how to treat women in a relationship.”

“This is last chance saloon and he needs help to grow up. A support network is open to him and whether he takes that will determine whether he comes back here.

“Should he come back, I will not waste my breathe with him.”

Judge Nicholas Rowland sentenced Berry to three months in prison for breaching the original restraining order for each of the original offences, to run concurrently, and nine months in prison for breaching the restraining order on April 18 order, to run consecutively, suspended for two years.