'Cruel' Wakefield ex suggested over Facebook how woman should kill herself

John Taylor was given a restraining order to stay away from the woman after a 26-year relationship, but persistently breached the terms by making contact. Then in October of last year he contacted their daughter through social media and suggested that her mother should take her own life – and how to do it.

The judge sitting at Leeds Crown Court this week, Recorder Thomas Moran, described Taylor’s message as “terrible and cruel”, knowing that the woman had suffered from mental health issues. During the sentencing hearing, he also accused Taylor of “trying to be clever” by sending the message through their daughter.

Prosecuting the case, Ayman Khokhar said 41-year-old Taylor had been given the restraining order in November 2021 for harassment of his long-suffering partner, along with causing criminal damage. He was ordered not to contact her.

He breached the order in December 2021, then the following March, April and June. After sending the message to his daughter on October 19, the police were contacted, but before they had a chance to investigate, he sent another message to his daughter a day later, warning her not to support her uncle over an unrelated police matter.

He was arrested and gave no comments during his interview. Taylor, of Westgate, Wakefield, later admitted a charge of breach of the restraining order, and sending a malicious communication, but only on the day his trial was due to begin.

Mitigating on his behalf, Andrew Petterson said that there had been no direct contact with his former partner, and no threats of violence. He said that Taylor had been on remand at HMP Leeds for over seven months and had “made use" of his time in custody, having tackled his drug problems with group workshops held by Narcotics Anonymous.

Recorder Moran jailed Taylor for 20 months. He told him: “It’s a very serious breach. She was struggling with her mental health and you encouraged her to act on those thoughts.”