Man sent former partner series of ‘sinister’ threats
A MAN bombarded a former girlfriend with ‘vile and sinister’ calls and emails, a court has heard.
Daniel Wayne Rose made a series of threats to the woman and her new partner, as well as using abusive language.
Swansea Crown Court heard Rose was recalled to prison after being arrested for harassing his ex, having previously been released from a sentence for robbery and inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.
Sophie Hill, prosecuting, said the relationship between Rose and the victim of the harassment broke down towards the end of 2019.
Then in August this year the 35-year-old began to email her while she was on holiday threatening to stab her new partner, threats he repeated to the man directly on Facebook.
The matter was reported to police but the abusive emails continued the following month, and then on September 8 Rose bombarded the woman with more than 30 phone calls in less than 90 minutes. The defendant left voicemail messages on two of these occasions, including one where he called the woman a series of abusive names.
The prosecutor said Rose attended a scheduled probation appointment on September 10 at which he was arrested by police. The defendant subsequently gave a no comment interview.
Rose, of Lon Enfys, Llansamlet, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to a count of harassment when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.
The court heard that in 2009 Rose was made the subject of what is known as a sentence of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) – a sentence designed for dangerous offenders who do no qualify for life sentences - for robbery and inflicting grievous bodily harm. Under an IPP a defendant
can only be released if they convince the Parole Board they no longer pose a risk to the public.
Dan Griffiths, for Rose, said the defendant “would be the first to accept he had behaved badly” towards the woman and her new partner. He said his client was at pains to stress he would not have carried out any of the threats.
The advocate said Rose had been released from his IPP sentence three years ago, and went on to find work as a labourer and secure his own accommodation. However, this year’s coronavirus lockdown meant he had then spent much of his time on his own in his flat, something he had struggled with.
He added that the defendant did not have a release date from the IPP, and realised he would only be let out “once he has satisfied the Parole Board that he can be properly managed in the com
munity”.
Judge Paul Thomas QC said Rose had bombarded his ex with “vile and sinister” emails and calls, and while he was prepared to accept the lockdown had had an impact on the defendant’s mental state he had no doubt that an element of the offending was connected to the fact the woman now had a new partner.
Giving the defendant a one-third discount for his guilty plea the judge sentenced him to 20 weeks in prison. Rose would ordinarily serve up to half that period in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community but the judge said the fact Rose is still subject to an IPP meant he would be in custody for longer than that, and there was no date for his release.
Rose was also made the subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting his former partner for five years.