A TEENAGER threatened his girlfriend’s male co-worker at a sandwich shop because he was 'jealous' because of a 'toxic' relationship.

Brennan Kilner of Charles Henry Road, Droitwich, admitted threatening behaviour which he directed at Noah Cooper at Subway in Shrub Hill Retail Park, Worcester.

The 18-year-old, who appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Thursday, was started being abusive at Subway at about 8pm and his behaviour continued until 11.30pm.

Kulbir Paul, prosecuting, said Kilner told his girlfriend Mr Cooper was ‘giving him a funny look’.

He said: “He became angry and aggressive and started shouting and swearing, saying ‘I will stab him, I have been to prison and I will do it again’.”

Mr Cooper locked the main doors as a result of Kilner’s threats which he said were necessary, ‘to protect myself and my colleagues’. At around 11.30pm Kilner rattled the doors, trying to open them and also 'stuck his middle finger up' Mr Paul said.

Kilner is then described as ‘hanging around the front of the shop for hours’. Mr Cooper told police: “The threat frightened me. I started shaking.”

In police interview Kilner said he had seen his girlfriend’s male colleague and accepted ‘he over-reacted and was abusive and threatening’.

However, he also denied in police interview that he had threatened to stab Mr Cooper but remembered punching the till monitor. Kilner said he was outside because he was waiting for his girlfriend.

Kilner had five convictions before this hearing, the last one in May this year for common assault.

Mark Turnbull, prosecuting, said Kilner denied he had made threats to stab Mr Cooper or that he had been in prison which was not the case but did admit he threatened to punch him.

“There’s a suggestion he becomes jealous and paranoid something is going on. That is perhaps the trigger. He had been in a relationship with this young lady for 20 months. It has now ended.

"He describes the relationship as quite toxic. He said there were trust issues on both sides. He also does struggle with depression and anxiety. He's also been recently diagnosed with a personality disorder.

"That will no doubt have some bearing on the way he interpreted and reacted to what he saw and what he perceived he saw. His consumption of alcohol on the particular day played a part."

He was fined £80, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and a contribution towards costs of £135.