'I'll blow you all away': Bilston man's death threats to former partner

Mark Mason bombarded his victim with threats and said he would turn up at the shop where she worked with a gun and 'blow you all away'.

Mason, aged 47, of Broad Street, Bilston, had pleaded guilty to putting Loretta Reaney in fear by harassment but also told Warwick Crown Court the victim had written to him while he was on remand in prison.

Prosecutor Stuart Clarkson said Mason and Miss Reaney had been in a relationship for seven weeks after first meeting through a dating website.

They got in touch over the internet and agreed to meet in Wolverhampton two weeks later before meeting again after another fortnight.

But he said Miss Reaney became concerned Mason was becoming obsessive and ended the relationship.

Mr Clarkson said: "The defendant was not pleased with that and continued to message her. He became aggressive and threatening, including posting a photograph of a gun and making threats to kill himself."

The court heard Mason also left a message stating he was coming to Stratford where Miss Reaney worked on April 11 to shoot her.

Mr Clarkson said the next day she received a message from someone using the name Peter Parker who said she had hurt Mason and that 'he always gets his own back on people who hurt him'.

Miss Reaney eventually phoned the police after being bombarded with more than 30 threatening messages from Mason.

Mr Clarkson said Miss Reaney had been left feeling anxious by the ordeal and had taken two weeks off work.

Mason, speaking in court and representing himself, said threats had been made 'both ways'.

He said: "I know I'm not right in the head but in 2009 I got unlawfully recalled to prison. It was proved it was unlawful and since then I've not been the same."

Recorder Michael Burrows QC told Mason it was 'really quite a serious offence' but adjourned the case for a psychiatric assessment.