A Welshpool teenager who threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend in a series of Facebook messages has been given a community order.

Daniel Whyte, 19, appeared at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday for sentencing. He had admitted one charge of sending obscene or menacing messages at his first hearing in October.

Prosecutor Helen Tench told the court Whyte had been in a relationship with Jessica Jackson until two weeks prior to the offence, on September 16.

“He had become quite hostile and she blocked him on social media,” said Mrs Tench.

Because of this, Whyte messaged a friend of Ms Jackson’s saying: “Tell Jess from me I’m going to kill her when I see her.”

Mrs Tench said Ms Jackson was with her friend at the time and began replying to the messages herself, not wanting him to think he had affected her.

Whyte sent further messages saying, “Watch your back, we are coming for you,” and “I’m going to tear you apart with my bare hands”.

Mrs Tench said: “He wrote, ‘she is going to pay, she has done one thing and  hope she regrets it, I’m not going to regret what’s going to happen’, and ‘I have her house covered’.

“He went into detail about how he was going to kill her. She was alarmed and worried for her safety.”

At this point Ms Jackson and her friend called the police.

When interviewed, Whyte said he had “just wanted to upset her”.

Mrs Tench added the victim had applied for a restraining order, and the defendant had previous convictions.

Owain Jones, for Whyte, said: “It was difficult for him to deal with the sudden break up.

“There is some element of goading from Jessica and provocation that lead to more serious comments later on down the line.

“The defendant was upset when he wrote these things and he now regrets them.”

Whyte was given a one-year community order and a restraining order to prevent him contacting Ms Jackson. He must pay a £50 fine and £50 compensation. No prosecution costs were awarded.