Tinder pest made threats to slash Leeds student's throat after making her life a 'misery'
Man continued to pester woman despite her making it clear the relationship was over.
A persistent ex threatened to slash a woman’s car tyres and her throat after she ended their relationship.
The victim had met Jonathan Scruton over the dating app, Tinder, but he would become jealous and wanted money from her, Leeds Crown Court was told.
Scruton denied wrongdoing, but on the day he was due to stand trial, he changed his pleas and admitted harassment without violence and possessing a knife in a public place.
The court heard that the pair had met on the dating app and the relationship blossomed quickly with Scruton moving in with the university student within two weeks.
Initially it went well, but she became concerned that he would demand to know her whereabouts when they were not together, prosecutor Jennifer Gatland said.
He would constantly borrow money and told her he owed money to others. She ended the relationship but they remained in contact.
By October of last year, things had become “more strained” and he was continuing to ask for money.
He told her people wanted to harm him and he made threats to harm himself. Despite the frustration, she gave him more money.
However, the 31-year-old was abusive, would call her names and accuse her of cheating.
The next day he messaged her to say he had been beaten up and accused her of not caring.
She told him she wanted him out of her life, but he still persisted.
Scruton told her he would jump in front of her car to hurt himself, said he would slash her tyres then made chilling threats to slash her throat.
Leaving her 12 voice messages, he told her was coming to her home. She contacted the police and he was arrested. He was found to be carrying a knife at the time.
Scruton, of Wykebeck Street, Leeds, has no previous convictions.
No mitigation was offered after Judge Andrew Stubbs KC said he would not lock him up.
He gave him an 18-month community order and said: “The way you treated her was terrible. You made her life an absolute misery.
“I just hope you are in a position that you recognise what you were doing was serious.”
He ordered Scruton complete a mental-health treatment requirement, 20 rehabilitation days with probation. He was also given a restraining order to keep him away from the victim.