A Keith man threatened to “chop up” a suspected love rival during a campaign of intimidation, a court has heard.
Billy Henderson bombarded the mother of his child with “menacing” text messages and phone calls after reacting badly to the end of their five-year relationship.
Fiscal Ruaridh McAllister said on October 8, Henderson became suspicious his ex had found a new partner.
He told Elgin Sheriff Court: “Henderson asked her as to whom her boyfriend now was, and became angry and said he would chop him up.
“He also told her that she was not a good mother, and that he was going to kill her.”
The court was told that one sinister text message read: “regrets hurt, so do big sharp blades”.
Mr McAllister said Henderson’s former partner was “scared and frightened” and contacted Women’s Aid for help.
The case was then referred to police officers and Henderson was arrested and remanded in custody.
Henderson, 21, admitted sending messages of an offensive, obscene or menacing character and issuing threats of violence to another.
Representing Henderson, solicitor Matthew O’Neill said his client had entered “a downward spiral” since the couple broke up.
Mr O’Neill said: “He has been feeling extremely down and suffering from a number of difficulties.
“One way he dealt with this was by the consumption of alcohol, and he had consumed a significant amount that evening.
“But he had no intention of following through with these threats.”
Henderson, of Broomhill Lodge, Banff Road, will be supervised for the next two years. He was also ordered not to contact his ex directly for a year.