Suspended jail term after death threat

Paranoid thug attacked partner and threatened man

A thug whose drug and alcohol binges triggered paranoia avoided jail after beating his ex-partner and threatening to kill a man he believed she was cheating with.

“Controlling” Jay Kennelly’s increasing suspicions over his partner’s fidelity culminated in a violent domestic rage, magistrates heard.

In an argument, Kennelly, 25, smashed a glass-framed picture of them together, causing cuts to the victim’s arm and bruising to the wrist.

Following the June 23 attack, Kennelly grabbed her mobile and left death threats on the answerphone of a man he believed her to be cheating with.

He then told arresting police officers of his brutal intentions.

Kennelly, a gas repair man of Barrow Hill Cottages, Ashford, had pleaded guilty to threats to kill, criminal damage and assault by beating at a previous hearing.

Prosecutor Neil Sweeney told the court on Wednesday last week: “He contacted a work colleague, left a message on his phone saying ‘I will kill you. When you sleep I will cut you up’.

“When the victim calls back the defendant says he will ‘break into his house and stab him up’.”

The court heard Kennelly had become increasingly paranoid with regular cocaine, cannabis and alcohol use.

A victim impact statement read out in court told of the woman’s distress. She wrote: “I’m concerned for my family. The incident has made me worry he will come to my house, I’m feeling distressed.”

The victim said she constantly feels on edge and Kennelly’s controlling behaviour, like constantly checking her phone, had become the norm, the statement added.

The court heard Kennelly gave a “full and frank” admission in police interview, adding his behaviour was “heat of the moment”.

He was handed a 16-week sentence, suspended for 18 months, ordered to take an alcohol awareness and a Building Better Relationships course, alongside a 12-month restraining order on both of the victims.

Sentencing, District Judge Justin Barron told him: “Your behaviour was controlling to go through someone’s phone.

“The most serious issue is the threats to kill. I don’t believe you would have killed the victim. But the nature of threats can be very worrying for people.”

Jay Kennelly