A WOMAN has told how she fears her family will be murdered by her “bullying” ex-boyfriend before he kills her and their daughter.

John Kennedy has been jailed for 14 months for a campaign of terror against his former partner after they split up last year.

Kennedy bombarded the woman with threatening and abusive text messages and emails, and turned up at her Middlesbrough workplace.

On one occasion in December, he went to a relative’s home of the victim, and reversed his van into her car following an argument.

Andrew Turton, mitigating, told Teesside Crown Court that 33-year-old Kennedy had “learned behaviour” from his violent father.

The court heard he was jailed in 2005 for grievous bodily harm when he lay in wait for a man and attacked him with a hammer.

Kennedy also has previous convictions for making threats to kill, and breaching a non-molestation order taken out by a previous partner. He admitted two charges of breaching a non-molestation order and dangerous driving, and was found guilty of a further two breaches.

Kennedy, of Marton Road, Middlesbrough, was also banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to take an extended test.

Prosecutor Jenny Haigh said Kennedy was in prison when he rang the woman, and threatened to cause her and her family serious harm.

His most recent partner - the mother of his young daughter - said in a statement how she is terrified by his behaviour and his past.

“I will not feel safe in my home or the Middlesbrough area,” the woman said.

“I would sum him up as a narcissistic bully. I am petrified of him. I want to be left alone to get on with my life, and be the best mother I can be for my children.”

She added: “John Kennedy has made my life a living nightmare. He has controlled me for two years, and continues to destroy my life.

“There is not a night goes by when I don’t wake up to the same nightmare, where he kills all my family and leaves me and my daughter to the end.”

Miss Haigh said one of the text messages warned: “You and your house, and your brother’s are going to get it tonight. I’m going to put you in the ground.”

Mr Turton told the court: “This was impulsive behaviour arising out of highly emotive situations which have not been dealt with well at all.”