Redcar stalker threatened to cut head off ex-partner's mum

Martin Hardy was waving around a large kitchen knife while he screamed and shouted at the woman before making the chilling threat to kill her mother.

Footage of the 33-year-old’s horrendous behaviour was shown to a judge after he was convicted of terrifying the woman in a campaign of stalking.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the defendant had been in a relationship until the alcoholic’s abusive behaviour became too much for the victim and they called time on it in June last year.

Ashleigh Leach, prosecuting, said Hardy sent messages via Whatsapp saying "if your door isn't locked, I'm coming through it and smashing your head in".

Two days later, the victim recorded a video call where the defendant was abusive.

Miss Leach said He later sent numerous messages apologising for his behaviour, but on March 10, during a video call the defendant threatened to kill the woman.

She said: "He shouted 'if you try and get me arrested, I'll f****** kill you and your whole family. They won't keep me in jail forever. I will slaughter you all’.”

On August 18, he made another video call where he could be seen brandishing a kitchen knife and making threats of violence.

Miss Leach said: "He made threats to cut her mother's head off and show her it. He stated he would come for her and her family one by one."

In the disturbing footage, played in court, he was heard shouting: "I'll f****** kill you all. I'll cut your f****** mam's head off and show you it. You've not seen dangerous until you've seen me."

In her victim impact statement, she said: "I felt sick with fear. After the incident involving the knife, I needed to take extra precautions to get to work.”

See more court stories from The Northern Echo by clicking here 

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Martin Hardy (Image: Cleveland Police)

Hardy, of Coatham Road, Redcar, pleaded guilty to two charges of making threats to kill and one of stalking.

John Crawford, mitigating, said his client was ashamed of his behaviour and acknowledged that he was an alcoholic who needed help to address his addiction.

Judge Francis Laird KC sentenced Hardy to a total of three years and four months and made him subject to a seven-year restraining order.

Sentencing him, he said: “I have watched extracts from both video calls and it is no surprise that she feared that you would carry out those death threats and no doubt whatsoever that she would fear those threats would be carried out.”