A HELENSBURGH man texted a threatening message to his former partner telling her he was going to “destroy” her.

William McKell, of East King Street, sent the message to the woman, and then days later chased a man into a convenience store.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard last week how the woman got a message around 8.25pm on August 12 this year from a blacklisted number she recognised as being from her 36-year-old ex.

It stated: “You have just made the biggest mistake of your life treating me like that. I’m going to destroy the both of yous. Trust me, you went too far. I don’t give a f*** any more.”

The woman took the messages as threatening and menacing and contacted police.

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Officers turned up at McKell’s home just after midnight, where he told them: “F*** sake, I only texted her a message and said I would destroy her.”

He was too drunk to be interviewed at the time and officers had to wait until 10am the next morning to speak to him.

Despite appearing in court after his arrest, just four days later McKell made more threats towards a man in a street near his home.

Last Wednesday’s hearing was told that a man walking along East King Street at around 3.30pm on August 17 heard McKell shout at him “here mate, here mate”.

There was a verbal argument and then the man made his way into the local Keystore in Old Luss Road and called police.

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After officers left, McKell confronted the man in the store and shouted: “Did you call police? I’m going to do you, you grassing b*****d.

“You’re a sh***bag, you better watch yourself.”

McKell was arrested within the hour.

At a previous hearing, McKell admitted charges of sending a threatening message to his ex and shouting, swearing and uttering threats at the man.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said McKell’s use of the word “only” in his comment to police suggested he thought his behaviour was acceptable.

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Defence solicitor Stephen McGuire said: “He appreciates it’s not an acceptable way to speak and behave.”

He said the break-up of McKell’s marriage had “hit him hard” and he was increasingly “desperate and paranoid”.

Mr McGuire continued: “I can see a big difference in his presentation over the last couple of months.

“The other incident is more difficult to understand.”

McKell had told his solicitor that he believed the person he confronted had been at an incident outside his home days earlier, but had no proof this was the case.

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Sheriff Hendry said: “I hope you realise this yourself - your behaviour was utterly deplorable and inexcusable.

“I could send you to prison for that.”

Instead, the sheriff ordered McKell to be under social work supervision for 12 months, with a conduct requirement to undergo drug or alcohol counselling or treatment as required.

He must also carry out 120 hours of unpaid work in the community.

There will be a review of his progress on the community payback order on January 17, 2020.

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