JAILED FOR TURNING UP AT EX’S GRAN’S WITH A METAL BAR
25-year-old sent threatening messages on Facebook
REPEAT offender Kyle Gilchrist has been sent to prison after he turned up at his ex’s grandmother’s house with a metal bar.
The 25-year-old had earlier sent offensive messages to his former partner – who is expecting his child – abusing her and threatening to kill her.
Magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard the offence was the third time he had been caught with an offensive weapon in a public place – which attracts an automatic jail term.
Prosecutor Alicia Perry said Gilchrist has been in a short relationship with the victim which ended in July. She said: “There was a disagreement between the parties the day before this incident with regard to a dog owned by the defendant. On September 5 he texted her about the dog.
“She then received a number of threatening messages on the Facebook platform from 10.17am until 3.55pm. The messages included, ‘You are dead today’ and ‘You’re dead, you little rat’.
“At around midday the defendant turned up at her nan’s address. The injured party was upstairs. She saw him walking up the path and phoned police immediately. She heard her nan talking to the defendant through the window. Her nan shouted, ‘Tell the police he’s got a knife’. The weapon turned out to be a metal bar.
“The injured party said she was genuinely frightened the defendant would carry out his threats to harm her.”
Gilchrist, of no fixed address, was arrested following the incident in the city and interviewed by police. He admitted sending the messages but said they were ‘empty threats’. He pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and sending offensive or menacing messages via a public communication network.
Jo Corbett, mitigating, said: “This was a short relationship which took a significant turn. There is now a baby on the way and all sorts of complications arise from that. He accepts he lost his temper and sent the messages.
“The fact that he is going to become a father in the next few months has been sobering.”
Magistrates sentenced Gilchrist to six months in prison. He was also handed a restraining order which prohibits him from contacting the victim – save via social services or a solicitor – or going to the street where she lives for 18 months.