A man told his ex “someone dies tonight”, then sent her a picture of himself holding a baseball bat.
Christopher Matthew sent the threatening message to his former partner despite being banned under bail conditions from contacting her.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told the messages, sent on September 22 2021, started out amicable but also said: “Now I will go on the kill.”
The woman – who ended her five-year relationship with Matthew in 2019 – became so concerned that he would drive to her home and harm her that she reported him to police as a drink-driver.
Threatening behaviour
Matthew, 32, admitted three charges of threatening or abusive behaviour towards police and his former partner as well as refusing to reveal to police who was driving his car and a breach of bail at Inverness Sheriff Court in relation to the incident.
Sheriff Sara Matheson was told that police located Matthew in his home “heavily intoxicated, aggressive, manic, shouting and screaming”.
Matthew was arrested but continued to hurl abuse and insults at police and was banging his head on the cage door of the police vehicle on the journey to Elgin Police Station.
The court was also told that on October 29 2021 Matthew was taken to Dr Gray’s hospital in Elgin with a head wound. He became aggressive and after being treated ripped a bandage off saying he “would rather go to the cells”.
Matthew then resumed swearing and uttering vile obscenities at the police.
Man spat blood in policeman’s eye
He spat blood twice at one officer who was trying to help him, once catching him in the eye.
He admitted further charges of assault and threatening behaviour.
Defence solicitor Grant Daglish said: “Alcohol was clearly a factor in these offences but this has been a wake-up call for him.
“The offences are abhorrent but he has not come to the attention of the police since.
“Alcohol is no longer an issue for him.”
Sheriff Matheson agreed with Mr Daglish that there was an alternative to a custodial sentence.
“You will never be closer to going to jail than you are right now,” she said. “But I will impose a community payback order.”
She instructed Matthew, of Glenmore Place, Forres, to carry out the maximum 300 hours of unpaid community work and imposed a three-year non-harassment order to protect his former partner.
