AN inmate who made ‘vile’ threats of violence, murder and arson against his ex from prison has been spared an immediate jail sentence.

Daytona Brecknell wiped away tears with his sleeve after hearing he would walk free. He had admitted witness intimidation after he made the threats from HMP Hewell, asking his current girlfriend to relay the messages to his ex, then a witness against him, who described herself as ‘absolutely petrified.’

The ex who was the target of the threats was the same woman Brecknell subjected to a five hour ordeal during which she was assaulted, tied up and gagged.

The 27-year-old, jailed for false imprisonment last September, appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Monday where he was handed a suspended sentence by judge Robert Juckes QC.

Abigail Nixon, prosecuting, read out transcripts of some of the threats Brecknell made, recorded by the prison authorities between July 21 and August 30 last year.

In the prison calls he asked his current partner, Nicola Littleford, to relay the threats to his ex, Mikki Byrne. On July 28 last year Brecknell said of Miss Byrne he going to ‘burn her alive when he gets out of prison’ and said: “Tell her I’m coming for her’ and ‘she isn’t going to know what’s hit her.’

Brecknell also said ‘If I’m driving down the road I’m going to mount the kerb and hit her’, ‘she needs a beating’, ‘I’m going to cut her up’, ‘I’m going to slash her face off’ and ‘when I get out I’m going to murder her.’

Miss Nixon described Brecknell ‘repeatedly encouraging’ his current partner to ‘do his bidding’ and said his ex, Miss Byrne, had described herself as ‘absolutely petrified’.

“She does not know how she will cope when he’s out and when she goes to the shops” said Miss Nixon. Miss Byrne had even considered therapy as a result of Brecknell’s behaviour, the court heard.

The imprisonment happened in King’s Norton in 2012 but the former couple got a flat together in Bromsgrove in 2015. Brecknell has previous convictions for arson, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, battery, burglary and driving offences.

Lucinda Wilmott-Lascelles, defending, said Brecknell ‘struggled with mood swings, particularly in controlling his emotions’ and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, intermittent explosive disorder and conduct disorder.

Miss Wilmott-Lascelles said her client had admitted the charges straight away and argued he now ‘harboured no animosity’ towards the woman against whom the threats were directed. She described his remarks as ‘empty threats,’ telling the judge his mental health issues had since been addressed.

He has also completed victim awareness, Thinking Skills and anger management courses as well as a mentoring qualification and has obtained a forklift truck licence.

“He had hit rock bottom. He was grateful for the assistance and help to put him on track and set his life back in order” she said.

Brecknell had not been charged with witness intimidation at the time he was jailed for three years for false imprisonment. The defence argued that the prison phone calls had been taken into account by the sentencing judge at the time.

Miss Willmott-Lascelles said the threatening remarks were referenced by the prosecution at his trial and that recorder Martin Jackson said he had ‘digested the contents of the conversation’ when jailing Brecknell last September.

Judge Robert Juckes QC said: “These were the vilest threats of the most extreme violence.”

Judge Juckes said in an ideal world Brecknell would have been sentenced for witness intimidation when he appeared before recorder Jackson.

However, this could not take place because the defendant was not charged with witness intimidation until October this year.

He jailed him for eight months but suspended the sentence for 12 months and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £140.

There was a cheer and crying from the public gallery when Brecknell’s partner knew he would walk free.

He had been due for release on November 30 this year but had been remanded to await the sentence for the witness intimidation matter.