Jealous Leeds ex told terrified woman during car chase: 'I'll slit your throat'

Car mechanic Ricky Morrell had previously threatened to kill himself if she ended their relationship, but when she finally plucked up the courage, he continued to bombard the woman with texts and phone calls.

Leeds Crown Court heard that the couple had been in the relationship for five years and had two children together. She later told police that the relationship had started off happily, but turned sour because of Morrell’s gambling addiction which led to him slipping into debt and causing friction between the couple.

But earlier this year the 28-year-old’s behaviour become “concerning”, prosecutor Carmel Pearson told the court, when he began texting and messaging about where she was. He then saw a photo of her that included other males and he accused her of cheating and began called her names.

She ended the relationship and asked him to leave but the calls and messages continued. He also took the car from her driveway of her Farnley home and threatened to sell it. She became so concerned she contacted the police.

When he later found out that she had started another relationship she received more “unpleasant” texts, in which he called her names. He even spoke to her mum and quizzed her about the new partner before saying he would “kill them both”.

Finally, his ex spotted Morrell following her in his van and he overtook, shouting out of the window: “I’m going to slit your throat.” He then stopped and got out and approached her telling her: “I’m going to kill you.” She made a frantic 999 call and he was arrested at the scene. Miss Pearson described the call she made as “chilling”.

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Morrell, of Turnberry Gardens, Tingley, later admitted a charge of stalking with causing serious alarm or distress. He has no previous convictions. Mitigating Harriet Eglinton said there was prospect of rehabilitation and that Morrell could enrol on a domestic violence-awareness course.

The judge, Recorder Alex Menary opted to suspend the 12-month prison sentence for 18 months, gave him 150 hours of unpaid work, 15 rehabilitation days, a six-month monitoring tag and ordered him to enrol on the Building Better Relationships programme.

He told Morrell: “It’s a single and final chance. You are going to have to work hard to stay out of prison.”

He told him that should he fail to comply at any stage his “feet would not touch the ground”.