Hythe man James Nicholson stalked former girlfriend and threatened to crash his car through her Dibden Purlieu home

A WOMAN was terrorised by her ex-boyfriend who threatened to crash his car through her home and kill her because he could not accept their relationship was over.

She was subjected to months of harassment from former partner James Nicholson (36) with whom she had been for 14 years.

But 14 months after the couple split, Nicholson, of Cedar Road, Hythe, started turning up at her home in Dibden Purlieu and bombarded her with vile messages and angry phone calls, Southampton Crown Court heard.

One message he sent read: “Don’t play games with me… I will come round, and f***** end you!”

Prosecutor Keely Harvey said one occasion Nicholson threatened to drive his car into the victim’s home and kill her. He also threatened his father-in-law saying he was going to kill him in the same way.

She said the woman had ended the couple’s relationship due to Nicholson’s “issues with alcohol and mental health” which “he wasn’t addressing.”

But in April 2024 Nicholson turned up at her home in the early hours after a friend of his said he had seen her out with a girlfriend earlier. Nicholson, said Ms Harvey, was convinced the victim was with a man and banged on the front door shouting: “I know you’re f****** in there, I’m going to put the car through the house.”

He also tried to get through the back door but was thwarted by her friend who managed to keep it shut. The victim called the police. As they were interviewing her about what had happened Nicholson rang her 17 times and messaged her continuously.

Nicholson was arrested and released on bail with conditions that he should not contact his former partner. But he continued to ring and message her and on 29th April he “exploited” one of the couple’s children by ringing her and telling her to give the phone to her mother.

Ms Harvey said his former girlfriend “felt she had to speak to him” because of the child, even though she had blocked him on her mobile. Nicholson continued to threaten her and reveal that he had been spying on her by saying that he knew when her lights were on or off at the home.

On one day she received 40 messages from Nicholson and in a victim impact statement read out at court said she felt “unsafe in my own home” adding that with her ex hanging about she did not know what he was going to do.

She added: “I’m living in fear most of the time.”

In mitigation, defence barrister Matthew Underhill said of Nicholson, who pleaded guilty to putting a person in fear by harassment, said the defendant’s behaviour “was appalling and sadly the court can readily see as so often is the case alcohol plays a huge part in the manner in which he conducts himself”.

He asked the judge to consider a suspended sentence and impose an order that Nicholson had to get help with “emotionally coping strategies” and his “alcohol use”.

But judge told him that he would only do that if he had confidence that he would comply. “I don’t,” he added.

Addressing Nicholson, Judge Burrell KC said: “This behaviour was very frightening for [the victim]. Your conduct was designed to maximise her fear and distress.”

He sentenced the defendant to 13 months’ jail. He also imposed a restraining order forbidding him to go near or contact his former girlfriend for two years.