A MAN repeatedly banged and kicked on the front door of his former partner’s Port Glasgow home and threated to kill her new boyfriend. 

Thomas Gray also tried to gain entry to the property during the incident earlier this year, but later insisted his outbursts were just 'empty threats'. 

The 32-year-old admitted two charges of behaving aggressively towards the woman having turned up at the same address three days after the first incident to commit similar offences.

Gray, of Islay Avenue, was heard banging loudly on the front door of the home and kicking it in the early hours of August 4 before shouting ‘You’re getting it’.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard that Gray then made his way to the rear of the property and tried to gain access via a back door.

A prosecutor told the hearing that the complainer called police, however, officers were unable to trace Gray at that time.

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The procurator fiscal depute said: “On August 7, the witness observed the accused walking outside the home.

“He shouted ‘is anyone in the f*****g house’.

“This put her in a state of fear and alarm, he was asked to leave and he did.”

Later that day, Gray sent messages to a relative of the complainer stating that he was going to kill her male friend and warning that he would ‘do jail time’.

The victim also received texts from Gray asking for the man’s address and stating: “I’m going to kill him, take ma family off me.

“You want to see a f*****g nutcase watch this. Get me the address now.”

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Gray was arrested later that night and in his police interview, he told officers: “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any of it, it was just a moment of madness.”

Defence solicitor Edel McGinty said Gray was ‘thoroughly ashamed’ of his behaviour.

Ms McGinty said: “His consumption of alcohol meant he had very little recollection.

“His position is that they were empty threats.”

Pleading with Sheriff Anthony McGeehan to allow Gray an ‘opportunity to demonstrate that this was a one-off blip’, the lawyer added that the brief time he spent in custody following his arrest was a ‘salutary experience for him’.

Sheriff McGeehan told the offender: “The court takes a very serious view of these types of incidents, aggravated by an incident involving abuse of your current or former partner.

“The social work report identifies an option for the court to monitor you to demonstrate these were isolated incidents and that you can be of good behaviour.”

Gray was placed on a structured deferred sentence and will return to court on November 27, when the imposition of a non-harassment order will be considered.