A Swindon man threatened to murder a woman after complimenting her and tried to fight a dog walker at a popular country park, a court heard.
Craig Day, 32, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court yesterday having pleaded guilty to two counts of using threatening words or behaviour at an earlier hearing.
Crown prosecutor Keith Ballinger said the defendant, of Upfield, Liden, was at Coate Water at around 7am on Monday 20 July last year, accompanied by another man.
He complimented a woman, in her 20s, who was walking past him. He said: “look at you, you’re beautiful”, before then walking alongside her.
But the conversation soon turned nasty as Day told the woman he was going to kill her.
“I’m going to murder you, I’m going to hide your body”, he said.
Later that day, he tried to goad a dog walker into a fight after he’d interrupted Day vandalising a bin at the beauty spot. The defendant was verbally abusive and then began throwing punches towards him.
But the victim struck out at Day in self-defence – knocking him to the ground.
Day also admitted criminal damage and using violence to secure entry. The court heard he had attempted to kick down the front door of his ex-girlfriend in a bid to collect his property from her address on 30 July.
Defence solicitor Mr Jameson said his client suffers from alcoholism and has been diagnosed with bipolar.
Labelling the incidents as “very unpleasant”, magistrates imposed an 18-month community order with 30 hours rehabilitation activity days. He must also complete a six-month alcohol treatment programme.
