A man threatened to slit the throat of his ex-partner and kill her if she did not pay back money he insisted he was owed, a court heard.

Jamie Dillon, 29, sent his former partner more than 700 WhatsApp messages "demanding money he said was owed" and had threatened to kill her and "end this once and for all".

Norwich Crown Court, sitting at Whitefriars, heard the messages sent by Dillon got "darker" with him telling her that for every 10 seconds waiting he would add £10 to the debt.

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich Crown Court at WhitefriarsNorwich Crown Court at Whitefriars (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)Matthew Edwards, prosecuting, said in one of the messages, Dillon said he would "slit your throat" and branded her a "scummy rat".

He said police were called after the messages were sent on September 1 last year.

Mr Edwards said after Dillon was arrested he made a number of comments, including "I will kill her" and "she deserves to die".

In interview Dillon said he had made the comments when he was angry.

Dillon, of Hamon Close, Old Hunstanton, appeared in court on Tuesday having previously admitted harassment.

Judge Andrew Shaw said: "Women do not exist for men to abuse them in this terrible way."

Eastern Daily Press: Judge Andrew ShawJudge Andrew Shaw (Image: Newsquest)"These were absolutely awful messages that you sent to someone you were supposed to love."
Judge Shaw said he was "quite sure" she would have been "very frightened" to receive the messages but accepted he sent them in temper and had not intended them to be taken seriously.

Dillon was sentenced to a community order made up of a 12-month mental health treatment requirement, 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) and a four-month trail monitoring requirement - meaning his movements are electronically monitored.

He was also made the subject of a five-year restraining order, meaning he cannot contact the victim directly or indirectly.

Lynne Shirley, mitigating, said it was "evident the parties had moved on" with the victim now having a new partner with who she has a child.

She said the defendant, who essentially has full custody of their young daughter, has "no desire to rekindle the relationship" and would abide by the restraining order.