A MAN who accused his brother of sleeping with his ex-girlfriend threatened to travel up to Accrington from London to kill her.

Burnley Crown Court heard Jamie McPhee smashed his way into the victim’s house in Elizabeth Street and sprayed white spirit and foam all over the place.

McPhee was arrested later that day in the Oswaldtwistle Mills car park having said he was going to ‘slash someone’ and ‘torch a car’ belonging to the victim’s parents.

Prosecuting, Lisa Worsley said McPhee and his victim, who have a three-year-old daughter together, had split up in November 2018 after the relationship had turned ‘toxic’.

Ms Worsley said the couple had lived together for two years but the complainant, who has a 10-year-old son from a previous relationship, said they fell under financial pressure because of his extensive cocaine habit. The victim also said 36-year-old McPhee’s paranoia led him to become verbally and physically abusive.

The complainant said McPhee would push her and slam doors in her face and once strangled her on the sofa while her son was present.

Ms Worsley said McPhee would emotionally blackmail his ex and threatened to take an overdose if she split up with him.

When she did end the relationship the victim said McPhee would ring and text her calling her a bad mother and she said on one occasion he threatened to ‘ruin her life and come up to Accrington, rip her nails off and throw acid in her face’.”

Ms Worsley said the complainant had kept the abusive voicemails and text messages but had never reported McPhee to the police.

However at 11.20am on May 1 she received a call from McPhee’s brother, William, warning her to get out of her house because the defendant was coming up to Accrington.

The court heard William had called the police after McPhee had gone into his brother’s room and accused him of having an affair with the complainant and spying on him.

The court heard the victim left the house with her father and children at 12.20pm but returned later for a jar containing £1,200 rent money and savings.

She noticed a kitchen window had been smashed and there was a foam-like substance in all but the children’s rooms. There was also a rounders bat next to the kitchen window.

Ms Worsley said that at 3pm two PCSOs had received information that a man had told someone in Oswaldtwistle Mills he had come up from London and was in the area to slash someone.

McPhee was spotted on the car park talking to two women, one of whom was Sabrina Richmond, a friend of the complainant.

McPhee told her: “I smashed the house up. I stole £1,000.”

When McPhee, who is from Blackburn and was schooled in the town, was warned the police would Taser him he complied and was arrested. Officers found a carving knife in his pocket.

As he was sitting on the floor he said: “I was so close. I was going to torch her mum and dad’s car as well.”

McPhee made no comment during police interview but when he was charged he said: “Someone’s going to get it in the morning.”

McPhee, of Worster Park, Surrey, pleaded guilty to burglary, harassment and having an article with a blade or point.

In her victim personal statement the complainant said her life changed dramatically the day she received the phone call informing her McPhee was on her way to kill her.

Ms Worsley said: “The words petrified her and they still do.

“She said it is something she will never get over.”

Defending, Peter Killen said his client, an electrical contractor, accepted his relationship had turned toxic and was now over but maintained it had been good longer than bad.

Mr Killen said: “There is a different side to the defendant.

“He is anxious for the court to know that.

“He doesn’t have any history of any domestic-related offending.”

McPhee was jailed for 34 months and given a three-year restraining order with conditions not to enter Hyndburn.