A 28-year-old man who made sinister threats to his ex-girlfriend and her family because he was angry, has appeared in court.

Marcus Wright, of Twyford Road, Willington, sent threatening messages on social media to his former partner before going to her father’s house in Princess Street, Burton, and smashing a front window.

In one message, Wright told his victim that his "sole purpose in life was to snap your neck for real".

Derby Crown Court heard that on a different occasion with a different victim, Wright took a metal pole from a garage at a house where he was staying and smashed a car that was parked in the driveway.

Now he has been made the subject of a hospital order and will have to remain in a psychiatric ward being assessed by experts until they feel he is not a risk to the public and can be let out.

Siward James-Moore, prosecuting, said Wright's harassment of his ex-girlfriend took place in September and October last year.

He said: "They had been in a relationship which had fizzled out three years previously and she had gone to university. Police became involved when she reported to them a series of messages she had received from the defendant.

"She said they started the month before with one that told her to kill herself which led to more sinister threats.

"He said he would murder her and burn down her house down while her family were in it. The message was on Instagram and she blocked him but he continued on Facebook and then email. In one message he told her 'my sole purpose in life is to snap your neck for real'."

Mr James-Moore said that, on October 5, Wright, then drove to the victim’s father's house in Princess Street, and put through a front window before sending her a further email saying he had been "looking for her".

He said the second offence, which saw him pick up a metal bar in the garage of the property following an argument with a woman inside and smash her partner’s car windscreen with it, took place at an address where Wright was staying in June last year.

Wright was arrested, charged, and pleaded guilty to harassment, making threats to kill and criminal damage.

Roger Wilson, mitigating, said his client told officers he committed the offences "because he was angry" and he believed he had mental health issues.

He said Wright has been under the care of psychiatrists since March of this year.

Mr Wilson said: "He is medicated once a month with injections and he is responding well to treatment.

"He now recognises the impact on the victims and just says he was not well at the time. He believes his behaviour was borne out of cannabis use that was spiralling out of control."

Judge Peter Cooke handed Wright the hospital order and imposed a restraining order not to contact the victims.

He said: "Two practitioners say you are responding well to mental health treatment and this is the most suitable method of disposal for you. For peace of mind of the victims I will hand you restraining orders not to contact them."

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