Man sent to jail for threats to kill his ex (From Evesham Journal)

Man sent to jail for threats to kill his ex

2:00pm Friday 1st March 2013 in News

A SCHIZOPHRENIC who made threats to kill his former girlfriend has been jailed for a year.

Terrance Rock, from Anne Crescent, Evesham, at first seemed to accept a relationship with Rosie Barnett was over.

But some time later when she told him she had a new boyfriend, he started to send text messages to try and get her back, Peter Grice, prosecuting, told Worcester Crown Court.

When she did not respond, the messages became “abusive and threatening”, he said.

One of the messages from the 39-year-old said “I hope you rot and die” and another said “I won’t leave you alone until you’re all in bodybags.”

He called her and said no one would want her because he was going to throw acid in her face.

Mr Grice said Rock had started a new relationship with Sarah Smith and Miss Barnett told her about the messages. She spoke to Rock, who produced two kitchen knives and said he was going to kill Miss Barnett.

Miss Smith called the psychiatric unit in Worcester and Rock repeated a threat to kill.

He said he had worked out exactly how he was going to do it and seemed calm, said Mr Grice.

Police found knives and two jerry cans full of petrol at his home. He told them the voices in his head were making him do it.

He admitted making a threat to kill and harassment. He was also in breach of a restraining order imposed in October last year and had been sent by magistrates for sentence.

Richard Hull, defending, said Rock was a schizophrenic who stopped taking his medication.

He had failed to comply with a previous community order with a treatment requirement.

Judge Cristopher Plunkett said it was unfortunate that there was no other way of dealing with the case than to send Rock to prison.

He said he could not make an order for Rock to take his medication but he hoped he would use the time inside to learn how to stick to a routine of taking the drugs which would help him.

He gave Rock 12 months for the threats to kill, with no separate penalty for harassment and six months concurrent for breaching the restraining order.

He also imposed a new restraining order.