A YOUNG dad who terrorised his former partner and her mother by threatening to torch their home and kill them has walked free from court.
Lee Nolan told the pair: “You watch. You watch what I’m going to do next. I will be back later and I will burn your house down. I’m going to pour petrol through the letterbox and kill you.”
Burnley Crown Court was told how police were so concerned about the threats, the victims were put into a hotel for the night out of the area. The mother was traumatised by her ordeal, as she believed Nolan meant what he said.
The defendant (24), of Branch Street, Nelson, had admitted threatening to cause damage. He received 36 weeks in prison, suspended for a year, with 12 months supervision. Leaving court, he said to Judge Beverly Lunt, who had slammed him as a “nasty bully”: “Thanks. I won’t let you down.”
Miss Sarah Statham (prosecuting) said the defendant struck on the Diamond Jubilee weekend. Nolan and his former partner had split up three weeks before. He had been invited round to see his baby son, but had started to act in “rather strange” way.
Police were called but the defendant had disappeared. He then began to ring his ex, telling her she had better get away from the front room window, as he was going to throw a brick through it and pour petrol through the door.
Miss Statham said Nolan’s former partner was on the phone to police and when her mother went to close the curtains, the defendant made threats he would burn the house down and kill them. He then trampled flowers in the garden and upended a wheelie bin. Police arrived and the frightened mother and daughter were sent to a hotel. Nolan contacted police days later, was arrested and denied making threats. The defendant had a record, which included arson and damage.
Mr Richard Taylor (for Nolan) said he expressed remorse for what he had done. He had learning difficulties, had problems emotionally expressing his feelings and could express himself in a most anti-social way.
The solicitor continued: “He accepts the words spoken here were extremely frightening. He says to me: ‘Stupid words just came out of my mouth.”
Sentencing, Judge Beverly Lunt told the defendant his behaviour had been terrifying, as the victims did not know he was not going to carry out his threats.
She continued: “You have a dreadful record. You are a bully and a threatening and nasty bully. You are a nasty person, you are.
“I am not going to send you to prison today. You need to grow up. You need to take some responsibility and you need to start behaving like a man instead of a bully.”