A man who put the "fear of God" into a former girlfriend avoided jail on Wednesday after a judge heard he had moved back home with his parents.

Daniel Guminski, 32, was not supposed to contact Denise Fabray, but was angry that she had sold items belonging to him while he was in jail for other matters.

Prosecutor Edward Lewis told St Albans Crown Court that between January 25 and 31, Guminski sent messages to her through a friend called Michelle, in which he referred to himself as a "killer bone-breaker".

The messages included: "One of my boys is going to throw acid in her face," and "I don't feel guilty at all. She has mugged me off".

Mr Lewis said the offences began 10 days after he had received a suspended sentence for harassing her.

Guminski, formerly of Brixton Road, Watford, now of Wellington Way, Leighton Buzzard, admitted breaching the suspended sentence.

Andel Singh, defending, handed the judge a letter from his father in which he explained that Guminski had moved in with his family and was now working full time as a team leader doing landscaping work for six days a week.

Judge John Plumstead deferred sentence for six months, saying Guminski called himself "bone breaker" but only threatened people who could not fight back.

He told Guminski, who wore a sweater with the word Immortal on it: "Your dad has saved you. If at the end of the six months you have not re-offended, I will not lock you up."

The judge made a restraining order banning him from contacting Denise Fabray.