'Paranoid' Clipstone man threatened to throw acid in ex-partner’s face

Samuel Brunt received a 19-month jail term, suspended for two years, when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court, following the drink-drive incident on Station Road, Mansfield, on July 27, last year.

Alexis Mercer, prosecuting, said his partner ended the relationship because his use of cannabis made him paranoid and accuse her of cheating, and she had to call the police on April 17, this year.

However, she said he continued to contact his ex persistently, bombarding her with up to 70 phone calls in a single day.

On April 25 he sent her a message saying: “I’m going to kill you. I’m going to strangle you and kill myself afterwards.”

Two days later Brunt, aged 32, sent a message saying he was in King’s Mill Hospital, Sutton, and ignored her repeated pleas to leave her alone.

When she dropped off Brunt’s father at his home, Brunt ran straight out and kicked her car door, causing a dent. He immediately apologised then ran back inside.

In a later message, he threatened to throw acid in her face because he suspected she was seeing someone else.

Ms Mercer said, however, since Brunts has been in custody, his ex-partner’s attitude has ‘somewhat changed’.

She is not asking for a restraining order any more and retracted her statement after he entered guilty pleas.

Brunt, of Mansfield Road, Clipstone, admitted two counts of stalking and one of criminal damage.

The court heard he has 24 previous convictions for 48 offences, with ‘quite a lot of violence on his record,’ including a 27-month sentence for grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.

Lesley Pidcock, mitigating, said Brunt’s mental health was clearly deteriorating at the time.

She said a Crown Court judge, dealing with the drink-drive offence, deemed him worthy of a suspended sentence, with rehabilitation activity days and 100 hours of unpaid work.

Dealing with the stalking and criminal damage, magistrates jailed him for 16 weeks, suspended for 18 months and ordered him to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work and pay £298 costs.