Man sent ex photos of shotgun cartridges and told her: ‘You’re dead’

Michael Nichols A COVENTRY man sent an ex-girlfriend a string of death threats with some accompanied by pictures of shotgun cartridges and another telling her: “You’re f***ing dead.”

Michael Nichols’ horrific messages also saw him tell the woman “I’m going to bite your face off” and “I’m going to blow your head off.” The 37-year-old, of Caradoc Close, Henley Green, Coventry, was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty at Warwick Crown Court to two charges of making threats to kill.

Nichols was also given a consecutive three-month sentence for disclosing a private film of his victim to her brother, which he also admitted.

Recorder Anupama Thompson said: “This was a persistent series of messages over a long period of time which were clearly premeditated, because you had to take pictures of the cartridges and the handgun.

“The messages where absolutely abhorrent and you caused her real fear. There is no doubt in my mind just how genuine and deep-rooted her fear was.”

Prosecutor Scott Coughtrie said Nichols and the woman, who lives in Nuneaton, split up last year after she ended the relationship, and he then began sending her threatening messages.

They became more sinister towards the end of the year, when he sent her pictures of shotgun cartridges with the message: “One for you and one for your man.”

A number of messages were exchanged between them on December 23, but she made it clear she had a new partner and was not going to go back to him.

The following day Nichols sent her a series of Facebook messages, one of which included a picture of a handgun, telling her: “You’re f***ing dead.”

Another warned her: “I’m outside yours now, so look out.”

She replied that she was going to call the police, to which he responded: “I’m going to bite your face off. You’re dead, and your man. I’m going to kill you. I’m going to hunt you down.”

In a further message he threatened: “I’m going to drag the pair of you down the cut. You’re dead. I’m going to blow your head off.”

Then on Christmas Day he sent a series of texts which included the messages: “You’re f***ing dead before New Year’s Eve. I’m going to kill you. You’re dead, and him.”

She then received a call from her brother who told her he had received a video on his Facebook account of her and Nichols having sex, which Mr Coughtrie observed was “commonly referred to as revenge porn”. He said Nichols had previous convictions for offences including wounding, for which he was jailed for two years in 2005, and for possessing an imitation firearm with intent, for which he was given 27 months.

Delroy Henry, defending, said: “This case, while wholly unpleasant, was done from afar. This is not by way of, for example, the man sat on the end of the bed with a knife.

“All of those messages were sent in drink and in temper, as opposed to being cool and calculating. He was having difficulties coping with the ending of this relationship.”

Jailing Nichols, Recorder Thompson also imposed a restraining order banning Nichols from contacting his victim in any way or entering the Nuneaton road where she lives.

The messages where absolutely abhorrent and you caused her real fear.