South Shields man threatened to burn down neighbour's home and told landlord he would 'go missing'

The case was heard at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court.

On the social media site, Peter McShane, 32, of Seafield Terrace, South Shields, told Philip Heron, ‘1 to 1 will need more than that.

‘U hit like a bitch hahaha. Bring your mates. Your home going up in flames tonight.’

In a second message on the same day in March and read to magistrates in South Tyneside, he wrote, ‘This is a promise. Bitch scared now haha’.

And in a third, referencing Mr Heron’s family, McShane added, ‘Move them out tonight coz I’m burning the ******* place down. Only way to stop me is to come kill me.’

Prosecutor Eve McDonnell told the court McShane also sent a text on his brother’s mobile to his landlord Paul Back, from who he rented a property in Glen Street, Hebburn.

She said it read: ‘Who do you think you are. Not from here. You will go missing. I will marry your wife, bitch’.

Mrs McDonnell added: “There had been several incidents involving the defendant and Mr Heron.

“It’s following on from that that he begins to receive messages on Facebook that he feels are threatening.”

She said McShane had rented a property from Mr Back for two years and there had been some tenancy issues which had led the landlord to start eviction proceedings and get bailiffs involved.

In a statement, Mr Heron said McShane’s messages had upset him and made him fear for his family’s safety.

At an earlier hearing, McShane pleaded guilty to sending Mr Heron a threatening electronic communication on March 6 and the same charge against Mr Back, on September 10.

Tracey Wood, defending, said the messages had been sent in drink and did not make a lot of sense.

She said: “With Mr Heron, it started out as a noise issue. There’s been a few arguments, some disputes.”

And she added: “He’s been disgruntled that the landlord has told him to go to his parents without the proper eviction process.

“He is wanting to move back on with his life. He has had drink and drug issues in the past. He tells me this incident has occurred in drink.

“He’s come today hoping that this matter can be dealt with and that he can move forward.”

Magistrates handed McShane a 24-month restraining order which bans him from contacting Mr Heron and Mr Black and from entering Glen Street.

They also gave him an 18-month community order which includes him going on the Resolve rehabilitation course and 30 days’ of rehabilitation with the Probation Service.

McShane was also ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work and to pay his victims £100 compensation each and court costs of £85 and a £90 victim surcharge.