Hebburn dad fined for threatening to ‘smash up’ his ex-wife’s home

Offshore worker Michael Robson, 33, made the remarks in messages sent to her over four consecutive days in February last year.

In one, ranting Robson, of Victoria Road East, Hebburn, warned, ‘You’ve two seconds before I smash the house up’.

And in another, he threatened, ‘Open the door before I blow the house up in two seconds’ – and he also called her a ‘slut’ and a ‘slag’.

He has been fined after pleading guilty to an offence of threatening to damage or destroy property, a crime a judge said would have been “frightening” to his victim.

Prosecutor Gurjot Kaur told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court: “The parties had previously been married but they divorced in 2019. She described him as being controlling and abusive.

“She reported a number of missed calls and messages from the defendant.

“He said, ‘‘You’ve two seconds before I smash the house up’. Another said, ‘Open the door before I blow the house up in two seconds’.

“There were some missed calls from the defendant. He also said that him and ‘Ash’ were on the way and called her a slut and a slag and said he’s going to ‘boot the door in’.

“At the time, she wanted a restraining order. I’m told there haven’t been any further incidents.”

Robson has 13 previous convictions from 16 offences, the last being in 2020 for possession of a class A drug, for which he was fined, it was said.

Joanne Gatens, defending, said: “When he’s present at the address, he doesn’t make any threats.

“He seems quite responsible, saying, ‘Do you want me to go, shall I go?’ No threats are made directly, they are all made in messages. It seems more of a drunken rage he got himself into.

“The relationship lasted for 13 years, they were married and have a child and were back together but were in the process of splitting up. He wanted his things back.

“He describes her now as his best friend, now that they are no longer together.”

District Judge Zoe Passfield told Robson his threats to smash the door down and cause damage would have been “frightening”.

She fined him £830, with £85 court costs and an £83 victim surcharge, and ordered him to pay his victim £150 compensation.

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