A man who bombarded his ex-partner with abusive and threatening messages dragged her mum into the bitter break up.

Blackburn magistrates heard Dale Marc Miller sent the mother a message urging her to “hurry up and die.”

He sent a follow up message saying; “Here if you need any help with that.”

Miller, 35, of Paisley Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to two charges of sending offensive communications.

He was made subject to an 18-month community order with 10 rehab activity days and 100 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

The court heard Miller had sent numerous e-mail and text messages to the aggrieved which had started the day after he was convicted of assault and damage offences involving the same complainant.

Mr Parker said many of the messages had been abusive which caused the victim great distress.

“She also says she received numerous messages from him apologising for the abusive ones,” said Mr Parker. “She doesn’t want any further contact with the defendant.”

Mr Parker said the messages to the mother had aggravated matters.

“They clearly caused distress to mother and daughter,” said Mr Parker.

Nick Dearing, defending, said until recently his client had been a decent hard working man with no criminal record.

“It is a shame this relationship has ended badly,” said Mr Dearing. “He is willing to comply with any community order that is imposed and his main ambition is to be a proper father to his little girl.

“He knows he will have to go through the proper channels to achieve that.”