Man jailed for 'terrifying' threats to pregnant ex-partner

Paul Tapper, of Walsall, was controlling towards his victim despite breaking up with her in May after 11 years together and starting a relationship with one of her friends, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

The 30-year-old continued to monitor the activities of his ex-partner, who was the mother of his two children, and complain about her child-care standards.

On August 21, when she was 36 weeks pregnant, he started an argument when she dropped off their son on a parental visit, criticising the state of the boy' hair and insulting her.

When she returned later, he threw the boy's bags at her and claimed she had turned the child against him.

He grabbed her head and dragged her about, saying he would end her life in three weeks, the time when her baby was due, said Miss Siobhan Collins, prosecuting.

The victim ran to a nearby shop for refuge but Tapper called her mobile phone, shouting a torrent of abuse and foul language at her for 26 minutes.

He said he would kill her 'with his bare hands' and cut her throat, taunting her that he would get off with manslaughter. But the call was recorded and he was arrested the following day, said Miss Collins.

In a victim impact statement, Tapper's ex partner said the threats made her feel anxious, unsafe and fearful for her future.

The court heard Tapper had several previous convictions for violence, including an assault against the same victim in 2012.

Mr Oliver Woolhouse, defending him, said he had refused to accept the relationship was over, despite ending it himself, and claimed 'emotions were running high' due to the fact the two women had been friends.

Tapper accepted he behaved 'appallingly' but claimed he had no intention of carrying out the threats he made.

Mr Woolhouse added: "He has a temper and he knows it, and he knows he has to do something about it."

Tapper, of Lichfield Road, Rushall, who pleaded guilty to assault and sending threatening communications, was jailed for 12 months.

Sentencing him Recorder William Edis, QC, said:"You are a violent man, possessed of little self-control. This is as about as bad a case involving malicious threats as is possible to happen.

"Your threats were made worse because they came minutes after a criminal assault. Your ex-partner must have been terrified.

"Relationships break up every day and very few men encountering post break-up difficulties resort to threats to kill."

Tapper was also ordered not to contact his victim on his release, a condition to last until September 2023.