A man has been jailed after he posted on Facebook that he was going to cut the throat of his ex’s mother and “watch her die”.
John Simpson appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted making the chilling threats after hearing his ex-partner and her mother had asked a member of his family to give evidence against him in another court case.
The 32-year-old the posted on social media that he would “slit the throat” of his former partner’s mum and watch her die “painfully”.
When police arrived to arrest Simpson, he verbally abused them as he resisted arrest.
Simpson sent messages and made numerous calls
Fiscal depute Sophia Ramzan told the court that Simpson and his ex-partner had been in a relationship for around a year but split up some time ago.
She said that at around 2pm on January 30 this year, Simpson’s former partner received a message from him on Facebook calling her mum a “fat mutt” and that she “better stop telling lies” about him.
The woman did not respond, but the messages continued, and she received various unanswered calls from him.
Later that same day, she received a message from her mum asking her to phone her.
Bloodcurdling threats
Her mother explained that she had received various Facebook messages from Simpson, which placed her in a state of fear and alarm as she did not know why they had been sent.
She then saw a public Facebook post by Simpson, that stated he would “slit the slut’s throat open and watch her die painfully”.
Simpson’s former partner believed this to be directed towards her and her mother and contacted the police.
However, when officers traced Simpson and tried to bring him into custody, he turned aggressive and tensed his arms as they tried to apply handcuffs.
He also kicked out at the officers, resulting in them putting him in leg restraints.
As he was taken into custody, Simpson called one officer a “sheep shagger” and others “fat sluts”.
In the dock, Simpson admitted one charge of sending menacing online messages, another charge of resisting arrest and two counts of threatening or abusive behaviour.
Accused ‘struggles to manage emotions’
Defence solicitor Michael Burnett told the court that his client had become “annoyed” after finding out his former partner and her mother had contacted a member of his family asking if they would be a witness against him in court.
“This caused him to become frustrated and angry and that’s why he sent those messages,” he said.
“Mr Simpson has had mental health difficulties and has struggles to properly manage his emotions.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin told Simpson she “viewed these matters seriously”, adding that she believed that only a custodial disposal was appropriate.
Sheriff McLaughlin sentenced Simpson, of Lumsden Road, Huntly, to eight months in prison.
She also put a non-harassment in place, meaning Simpson cannot approach his former partner for two years.
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