A JILTED lover attacked and threatened to kill the man he wrongly believed had got together with his ex-wife, a court heard.

Sean Storey banged on the man’s windows before kicking his door in and pounding him with the door frame, Durham Crown Court was told.

Storey also punched and tried to head butt the man, while shouting “You’re dead” and that he was going to stab him.

The 31-year-old then ran upstairs to confront his former partner, who later said she feared she was going to die.

With a child in the room, Storey stopped short of attacking the woman but launched a tirade of verbal abuse – only running off after the police were called.

The man suffered swelling and bruising and the damage to his house, in Shotton Colliery, cost £380 to repair.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said the couple had been together for five years, had a young child and got married in May 2014, but split up in January 2015 and Storey moved out in April.

At that point, the woman went to stay with a male friend, he said.

After his attack on April 20, Storey sent threatening text messages to his ex-wife saying the friend was a “marked man” and “he’s dead, you’ll see”. He also sent a picture of himself holding a knife.

His ex-wife was so scared she fled with their child to Blackpool.

On her return, Storey sent more threatening texts, saying: “You better get the charges dropped or the boys are coming round” and “I’ll stab you up”.

Storey, of Emerson Court, Horden, was arrested and pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, criminal damage and intimidating a witness.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said Storey had “lost control” that night and bitterly regretted his actions.

Mr Constantine asked the court to show him mercy, as he had an offer of work out of the area and, hence, the opportunity to put the incident behind him.

However, Judge Christopher Prince said witness intimation was a serious matter and the courts could not allow defendants to make threats to victims. He also called the threatening texts “very upsetting”.

Storey was jailed for a total of 18 months. He was also ordered to pay £900 court fees.