A MAN who bombarded his former partner at Chard with unwanted texts and emails, alternating between making threats and wanting to get back together with her, has appeared in court.

Jonathan Lloyd Scantlebury made various comments including one saying he was going to take a sledgehammer to the victim’s door and her brother’s grave.

After she reported the matter to the police to give him words of warning, the defendant continued to make contact with her until he was arrested by the police.

Scantlebury, 56, of Ranelagh Mews, Bodmin, pleaded guilty to a charge that on July 24 at Chard he sent to his ex a text message which conveyed a threat for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety to the recipient.

He also admitted a second similar offence which was committed on July 30 when he appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates’ Court in Yeovil.

Christine Hart, prosecuting, said that the couple had been in a relationship for three-and-a-half years which ended in February after the defendant made allegations that his partner was having an affair with her son-in-law.

There was a period of time when Scantlebury was harassing her so she reported it to the police.

However on July 30 she went out with friends and when she returned home to a number of calls and 75 text messages from the defendant followed by an email containing a photo of the two of them together.

The magistrates fined Scantlebury £200 on each offence, with £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge. They also made a six month restraining order prohibiting the defendant from contacting the victim.