A wealthy businessman who threw a pack of sausage rolls at his wife at their £2million home has been hauled back to court for sending her offensive messages.
Nolan Bird, 49, assaulted his partner Heather in March 2023 after she questioned him on whether a night out in London involved ‘cocaine and hookers’.
In a fit of rage, he smashed up the snug at their large country home, hit Mrs Bird in the face, called her ‘pathetic’ and then hurled the pack of pastries at her nose.
No, the successful company director has found himself back in court for breaching the two-year restraining order he was given in January last year.
He sent his wife of 25 years ‘offensive’ messages just days after he was warned not to contact her by magistrates.
Appearing at Portsmouth Magistrates Court again, Bird was given a suspended sentence after he admitted three counts of breaching a restraining order by harassment and one count of sending offensive communication.
The 49-year-old is the co-founder of award-winning architectural design company NA Curtain Walling that bills itself as the ‘UK’s leading name in the industry’.
The firm is a specialist installation contractor for curtain walling and glazing – exterior facades seen on buildings such as The Shard.
Nolan Bird pictured outside Portsmouth Magistrates Court last year when he was given a restraining order for throwing sausage rolls at his wife
Nolan pictured with his wife Heather who questioned him whether a night out with friends in London involved ‘cocaine and hookers’
A court heard Nolan Bird flew into a fit of rage and ‘smashed up’ the snug at their country home
The court heard Bird breached his two-year restraining order by sending messages which were ‘offensive in nature’ to Mrs Bird, 48, via his aunt.
Mrs Bird – who filed for divorce after the initial assault and moved out of their marital home in the Hampshire countryside – is still on friendly terms with Bird’s aunt.
Bird sent a ‘number of unpleasant messages’ which had ‘the intention of being seen by Heather Bird’, Portsmouth Magistrates Court heard.
The messages were sent between January 8 – five days after his court case – and March 10 last year.
Chair Magistrate Heather Pashley handed Bird an eight-week jail sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered him to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work. He was also told to attend 20 rehab days and pay £85 in costs.
Previously, Portsmouth Magistrates Court heard Bird assaulted Mrs Bird at Bird’s five and a half acre pile in the pretty Hampshire village of Lovedean.
Nestled in the South Downs National Park, the property has ‘spectacular’ views and boasts an ‘exquisite’ country residence, multiple outbuildings and a gym complex.
It even has equestrian facilities with stables and paddocks, a wild meadow and lake with a woodland copse, and a koi pond landscaped with wildflowers. It was valued at £2 million to £2.25 million by estate agents.
His hearing last year was told the assault happened on March 3, 2023.
‘He went to London with friends, which sparked an argument. She texted him asking if he went for cocaine and hookers’, prosecutor Rhys Evans said.
The company director (right) hit Mrs Bird (left) in the face with the back of his hand, shoved her to the floor, called her ‘pathetic’, and then hurled a pack of sausage rolls at her nose
In a fit of rage, Bird smashed up the snug at their large country home, hit Mrs Bird in the face, called her ‘pathetic’ then hurled a pack of sausage rolls at her nose (stock photo)
The prosecutor added: ‘She was concerned as he previously threatened to commit suicide due to drug use.’
When he returned from London that evening, Bird was described as ‘going mad’ and ‘smashed up the snug’ in their home.
Mr Evans said Bird hit his wife in the face with the back of his hand and hit her shoulder.
After she fled to the kitchen, Bird ‘pushed her causing her to fall to the floor’ and then called her ‘pathetic’.
Mr Evans said Bird then launched a packet of sausage rolls at her, hitting her on the face.
Mr Evans said: ‘This was a prolonged and sustained assault which included a weapon as he threw a packet of sausage rolls at her which hit her on the nose.’
Two months later, on May 6 last year, Bird sent a stream of offensive and abusive text messages to his wife when she had left the home.
In the messages, he called her a ‘horrible, self-righteous c***’ and told her: ‘Go and stay at your Dad’s.’
He said: You f****** c***, that’s just finished me off.’ Bird also said: ‘F***ing c***, how can you do that.’
Pictured: Nolan Bird outside Portsmouth Magistrates Court last year. He was recently hauled back for breaching a restraining order
Mr Evans added: ‘It’s quite clear that substantial distress was caused to this victim.’
In a victim impact statement at last year’s hearing, Mrs Bird said police advised she was at ‘high risk’ and to pack a bag to stay with her dad.
She said: ‘I felt after that I had been forced into this situation. ‘Being told I’m a victim of domestic abuse is very difficult since he was my husband of 25 years and I loved and supported him.
‘It put me at complete rock bottom. All joy had left me and I felt totally betrayed.’
Mrs Bird said she was on anti-depressants, going to therapy, and has been told by a doctor she has PTSD.
Bird admitted the assault charge as well as sending an offensive message, claiming he faced ‘pressures’ at work in the run-up to his offences as he had to make staff redundant.
At the time, Magistrates warned him not to contact Mrs Bird and imposed a two-year restraining order which remains in place today.
Bird’s company has completed projects for buildings at Eton College, Imperial College London and Heathrow Terminal.
The company won the Steel Project Award in the national Schueco Excellence Awards and then was further crowned Overall Winner 2020.
