ENGLAND — Hell may hath no fury like a woman scorned, but thanks to a jealous ex-boyfriend, Claire Bainbridge recently discovered that male fury can be hellish, as well. At the very least, it can be legally actionable.Bainbridge recently faced Paul Ashcroft for a final time in Newcastle Crown Court as part of a successful bid to force the return of an assortment of exotic sexual and sensual items that he had stolen from her home.

Lingerie, gauntlets, restraints, and a whip were the unusual topics of discussion in the court of law, when the spurned her 41-year-old explained why he had returned to the Kingsley Place, Gateshead, home the couple had shared and removed the items.

According to Ashcroft, the items had originally been birthday gifts for Bainbridge. Once the relationship ended, however, he could not bear the idea of them being used with her new man – so he decided to take them back.

According to prosecutor, Bridie Smurthwaite, Ashcroft was not content to merely posses the intimate items, but felt compelled to goad Bainbridge about them, telling her in a text message to “check her drawers.”

Upon receiving the messages, Smurthwaite told the court that Bainbridge “went upstairs and discovered the intimate items bought during their relationship were missing.”

Ashcroft was arrested two days later and the kinky toys found at his temporarily dwelling.

Although the jilted lover now has a new girl in his life, Michael Hodson, his defending attorney says that his client was angry and drunk at the time of the robbery. In a more sober state during his court appearance, Ashcroft understood that he had behaved “extremely badly.”

The News Guardian reports that Judge David Hodson was unimpressed by Ashcroft’s behavior, declaring it “pretty disgraceful” and with “no excuse,” as he handed down a two-year conditional discharge and ordered the heart-broken thief to pay more than $800 in court costs.

“I have been told there has been no further difficulties and each of you now has a fresh relationship,” the judge concluded. “I suggest you concentrate on that.”