Man in kill threat hid fireworks in pram

Darren Thomas left the rockets in the pram outside the woman’s address on Orchard Road, St Annes.

He denied to police any link to the fireworks, but his DNA was later found on them.

Thomas, 23, of Moor Park Avenue, Blackpool, had pleaded guilty to a charge of making a threat to kill.

The offence took place last August when he demanded to see his baby, otherwise he would put a firework in his ex- girlfriend’s mouth and blow her up.

Peter Warne, prosecuting, said the relationship had broken down between the couple. There had been episodes of violence during their three and a half years together, including while she was pregnant.

On August 3 last year, the ex-partner was woken by knocking on the door at the entrance to the flat.

She opened the door and knocked on her mother’s flat opposite, to see if it was her who had been knocking.

Thomas was seen running down the stairway, away from the flat.

The intercom buzzer rang and she could hear him shouting: “Bring my daughter down now or I’ll put a firework in your mouth and blow you up”.

Thomas was told to leave. He was then seen kicking at the empty pram which had been left on the first floor landing in the block.

A policeman who went to the scene found two firework rockets taped together and left in the pram.

When arrested Thomas 
denied any links to the fireworks, claiming that the two women had set him up.

However, his DNA was found on a firework.

Julie Taylor, defending, said he was Thomas was 
immature for his age.

The relationship had been up and down, involving 
acrimony and breakdown.

He behaved in an appalling way last August, she said.

Miss Taylor told the court: “He in no way intended to carry out the threat. In no way would he have tried to light the firework.

“With the benefit of hindsight, he can see the dangerousness of what he did.

“Everyone knows fireworks are volatile. At the time he wasn’t thinking straight.

“He expresses great remorse and sorrow. In some ways he has punished himself, has not been allowed to see his child”.

Judge Pamela Badley told the defendant as she passed sentence: “This was a very nasty threat, backed up by you having brought the firework to the premises, knowing it would terrify your ex-partner.”

The judge also made a restraining order for an indefinite period.