By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 11:45, Thursday, 10 December 2009

A Carlisle man who threatened to beat up any man who formed a relationship with his ex-girlfriend has been given a suspended prison sentence.

A judge at the city’s crown court told Daniel Hetherington, 22: “You are a bully and you can expect very little sympathy from me.”

Hetherington, of Blackwell Road, pleaded guilty to harassing Zakiah Rabia by threatening her after the end of their six-year relationship.

The court heard he had gone to her house three times in May, and on one occasion had behaved in a threatening manner against her, and threatened to damage her car and attack any new boyfriends she may have had.

And then, the court heard, he tailgated her car, flashing his headlights and behaving in an intimidating manner, as she drove up Castle Way and Warwick Road to go to a party for one of their two children to which he had not been invited.

Prosecutor Callum Cowx said Hetherington had originally been accused of more serious offences – including holding a knife to Ms Rabia’s throat and threatening to attack her new partner with a sledgehammer – but these would have been impossible to prove because she had retracted her allegations and had “expressed strong feelings” that she did not want the prosecution to go ahead.

Judge Peter Hughes QC gave Hetherington a 13-week prison sentence, suspended for two years on condition that he attends a programme designed to prevent domestic violence.

He told him: “You admit that you can be controlling, jealous and obsessive. I have another word for it – you are a bully.”

And the judge warned him: “You have to learn to control your jealous instincts.”

First published at 11:23, Thursday, 10 December 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk