Bullying father jailed for threatening to kill ex-partner

When the relationship started Carl Kerley thought he had finally found happiness after a difficult upbringing but the 23-year-old was too controlling with the woman, a judge heard.

The romance broke down when he became increasingly annoyed at the people she was associating with, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Things started to get nasty during a meeting at Bloxwich railway station on January 13, said Mr Geoffrey Dann, prosecuting.

The prosecutor explained: "He lifted up his top and showed her the handle of a knife sticking out the top of his waist band. He said: 'It's a shame you did not bring a male with you.'"

Later in the day the defendant made a phone call to the woman during which he made a series of threats before she said sarcastically: "Is that everything?" He replied: "It will be when your head is on a plate."

Three days later he called her again to call her scum, warn he would hang, draw and quarter her and declare: "I am coming for you and if anybody else gets in the way I will kill them too. When the kids are with me you won't have anything but a miserable life."

Mr Ranjit Sandhu, defending, said: "The knife was not brandished and at no time did the victim or the children see the blade which was never taken out.

"His comments during phone conversations were stupid and thoughtless. He had finally felt his life was going in the right direction with a relationship and two children but accepts his behaviour was quite controlling and his anger grew at the injured party's association with people he did not like."

The trainee barber from West Bromwich Street, Caldmore, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and sending malicious communications.

He was jailed by Judge Simon Ward who told him: "Knife crime is of increasing concern to this country and you took a large knife specifically to scare your former partner.

"The things you said over the phone were deeply menacing and made her believe you were going to kill her."