A man who threatened to get someone to through acid into the face of his ex-partner when she refused to take him back has been locked up.

Carl Britton bombarded the woman with thousands of phone calls and messages before slashing the tyres of her car after he turned up uninvited to a party.

The 53-year-old spent four months hounding his ex-partner in an attempt to persuade her to rekindle their relationship and issued a number of vile threats.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Britton would repeatedly turn up at her home and bang on the door while trying to gain her attention.

Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, said the woman had been left traumatised and terrified of the defendant's erratic and threatening behaviour and made her life a misery.

She said on one occasion Britton followed her in his car before blocking her in on the A66 near Sadberge and getting out and getting to scream abuse at her.

“He repeatedly threatened to maim her,” she said. “He told her he knew someone in Middlesbrough who would come through and throw acid in her face.

“She genuinely feared these threats would be carried out.”

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she was ‘on edge 24 hours a day’ and didn’t feel safe in her own home as he would turn up unannounced or uninvited at all times of the day and night.

The Northern Echo: Carl BrittonCarl Britton (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Britton, of Lanethorpe Crescent, Darlington, pleaded guilty to stalking causing fear of violence and criminal damage between June 30 and November 1 last year.

Paul Abrahams, mitigating, said his client does have ongoing mental health difficulties and appeared to get genuinely upset when he spoke to him.

He added: “He has been seeking help with his mental health but hasn’t been able to access the support he needs.”

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Judge Nathan Adams sentenced Britton to two years and four months in prison for inflicting the terrifying ordeal on his ex-partner.

He said: “She had every right to be terrified of what you would do next to her, her children, or her property.

“This is not the first offence of this nature on your record.”

The judge also imposed a ten-year restraining order to protect the victim from further incidents of abuse or stalking.