Grantham man jailed at Lincoln Crown Court for making threats to kill woman and her children
A man who subjected a woman to a "living nightmare" during a campaign of stalking has been jailed for two years and eight months.
Paul Jones, 33, made threats to kill the mother and her children after demanding that she leave her present partner.
Lincoln Crown Court heard today (Monday, May 19) that Jones developed an "infatuation" with the woman after they were in contact on social media.
Phil Howes, prosecuting, said Jones bombarded the woman with hundreds of messages and sent her a "Christmas countdown" threatening violence and that the "Christmas clock was ticking".
Mr Howes said Jones stated: "I will have nothing to lose, I will chop you up myself."
Other messages told the woman to get rid of her boyfriend and warned her: "I could kill you in a heartbeat."
Jones also claimed to have a machete which he could put through the victim and her children.
The court heard Jones was arrested at an address in Grantham on January 2. During interview he denied making the threats.
In an impact statement which his victim read out in court she described her life at the time as a "living nightmare".
The woman said still feared Jones would try and find her after his release from jail and said she had been forced to move home.
The court heard Jones, of no fixed address, had been on remand in prison for several months.
He pleaded guilty to two charges of stalking between 23 December 2024 and 2 January 2025, a third offence of sending death threats over a six month period, and a fourth charge of sharing an intimate video.
In mitigation the court heard Jones was now sober and accepted "the hell he put this woman through".
Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst told Jones he behaved in a "wholly disgraceful way".
"On hundreds of occasions you were in contact with her," Judge Hirst said.
"The threats were to harm her and her children."
A restraining order was also made which prevents Jones from ever contacting his victim or her children.
