A SON told his father he “wanted to kill him and eat his corpse” and vowed to “hunt him down like a wild animal”.

Harley Osborne, 26, caused Matthew Harding “substantial fear and distress” after bombarding him with threatening text and voice messages.

William Bebb, prosecuting, said the defendant’s dad had called 999 on February 2 after he barricaded himself in his kitchen because his son was “smashing his house up”.

Osborne was “in a fit of rage” and warned his father: “You are going to die today.”

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When officers arrived at the address in Newport, the defendant was threatening to jump off the balcony into the car park below.

Mr Bebb said: “He told the police he was going to buy a gun and blow his brains out.”

After Osborne was arrested, it emerged he had sent a “large number” of menacing messages.

Examples of these were given at Cardiff Crown Court.

They included:

• “I’m going to ******* stab you to death, ****.”

• “I’m going to hunt you down like a wild animal.”

• “I’m going to kill you and eat your corpse.”

Mr Bebb said: “There was substantial fear and distress caused to the victim.”

Osborne, of East Dock Close, Newport, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Malicious Communications Act.

The messages were sent between November 2021 and February.

The defendant, who was represented by Stephen Thomas, has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Osborne had already served the equivalent of a six-month prison sentence after spending three months remanded in custody at Cardiff Prison.

The court heard from probation officer Rhys Jones who said the defendant’s brother was willing to allow him to live with him in Kidwelly, near Llanelli, should he be allowed his liberty.

Another brother was in court who offered to drive him to West Wales today if he was released from jail.

Judge David Wynn Morgan told Osborne: “Whatever the history you have with your father, you had no business addressing him in the way you did in these text messages or voice messages.

“I know that at the time you were extremely upset and unhappy.

“It is to your father’s credit that he still wishes to have a relationship with you.”

Judge Wynn Morgan added: “You are very fortunate to have family members who care for you and want to do the best for you and make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Osborne was sentenced to a 24-month community order.

He will have to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and was made the subject of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

The defendant will also have to pay a £95 victim surcharge.

Osborne thanked the judge.