Inmate made threat to kill ex-girlfriend
A PRISONER threatened to kill his exgirlfriend and “put a bullet” in the head of her “new man”.
Tyler Richards, who is serving an eight-year jail term for wounding, made four vile calls from HM Prison Parc in Bridgend. He told the mother of his children he would “beat the life” out of her.
Richards, 26, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court via videolink from his new prison, HMP Oakwood in Staffordshire. He shouted angrily several times during the hearing.
Prosecutor Eugene Egan said the defendant made three threatening calls on February 25 last year and a fourth on March 2. All were recorded by the prison.
“His relationship with [his ex] had ended in about 2020,” said Mr Egan. “He plainly believed his ex was seeing another man while he was in custody and that there was a new man around his daughter and ex.”
In a call to his ex’s mum he told her he would “do the rest of his life in jail over this because he would kill [his ex’s] new man and put a bullet in his head”, Mr Egan told the court.
Soon afterwards the defendant called her again and said he knew a new man was around his child. He threatened to shoot his ex’s mum and warned her son would “beg”. He said he had arranged for people to stab her son.
Richards also told her to warn her daughter’s “new man” he would be “bulleting him when I get out of custody”. He called his ex’s mum a “rat” and said he would be “sending people to batter her now”.
The defendant then called a man named Richard who appeared to be outside his ex’s home.
He told Richard to “get it done” and he wanted his ex’s mum’s house “smashed to pieces” and his ex’s head “punched f*****g in”.
His last call was to both his ex and her mum. He told the mum he needed to speak to her daughter and if she was not on the line he would “have you c***s shot”. He added: “I will kill you guys, I will beat the life out of you.”
Andrew Taylor, mitigating, said the mother was “a lady of some stoicism”, adding: “Most people would be terrified to hear this information relayed to them. To say she stood her ground would be an understatement.”
Judge Neil Bidder QC said he would be making an order restraining Richards from contacting his ex or her mum for 10 years – prompting the defendant to shout: “I want to speak to my legal team, I have a daughter with the woman, it’s f*****g ridiculous.”
The judge replied that Richards could go through a third party to see his child to which Richards yelled: “What do you mean a third party?”
Judge Bidder said: “A lawyer or a good friend to both of you or a family member would be appropriate.”
Richards then asked: “And what do you justify a 10-year restraining order on when no harm was caused or ever going to be caused?”
The judge told Richards he would hear what Mr Taylor had to say. The barrister said his client had been “finding it very difficult” in prison at the time of the offences.
“As Your Honour will appreciate it’s probably been more difficult for prisoners over the last two years than at any time in the last 100 years. With actual visits not allowed, serving a long sentence, a young man away from his daughter, he was feeling mentally very low.
“Things all got on top of him and he behaved in a way for which he has apologised. No harm was physically done to any of these people.
“One of the things he never wanted was for the home in which his daughter was living to be attacked. She’s three years old. He would never do anything that would put her in peril.
“He wants to build bridges with his daughter and family on release.”
The judge said: “I do make a 10-year restraining order but I indicate to the defendant there is the possibility of an application to the court once he is released.”
Richards, who pleaded guilty to making malicious communications, has six previous offences on his record including battery and assault on a police officer.
Passing sentence Judge Bidder said: “These were serious threats of violence including threats to kill. You say now you would not have intended that they should actually take place.”
The judge accepted “everything got on top” of Richards and that he would not have endangered his daughter but he said the experience “must have been frightening” for both women.
Judge Bidder imposed a 12-month prison term to be served consecutive to his existing eight-year stretch.