A STALKER who made his ex-girlfriend’s life “hell” after vowing to “destroy” her during a sustained campaign of abuse and harassment is behind bars.

David Jones, aged 50, of Gelli Crescent, Risca, sought vengeance on his former partner after she ended their relationship, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

He would bombard her and her family with vile menacing texts, making threats to seriously harm her over the course of a nightmare that lasted nearly a year.

As well as tormenting his victim with messages, he would drive slowly down her street and intimidate her as she made her way to work.

The judge, Recorder Duncan Bould, said: “The defendant was engaged in a campaign of abusive harassment. It was determined, persistent, and, at times, intimidatory and threatening.

“He sent text messages to her and her family containing various threats. He said he would make her life hell.

“He said her life would not be worth living. He told her to watch her back. He said, ‘If I can’t have her, no one would.’ He said he would destroy her.”

The judge told the court Jones had contacted his ex’s mother and told her to pass it on to her daughter that “she should move out of the area so he wouldn’t have to see her”.

On another occasion, he got in touch with his victim’s daughter and said: “I will be dead soon. Why not take someone with you? Why not hurt her, like she hurt me?”

He added that the defendant would “deliberately drive down her street slowly”.

Jones, the court was told would “harass and intimidate her as she went to work by driving up to her”.

The judge said his victim “feared he was constantly watching her”.

He added: “The harassment was over a prolonged period and you sought to maximise her fear and distress.

“You have previous convictions for both threatening and abusive behaviour, assault and harassment.

“Mitigation is sparse on the ground.”

Jones pleaded guilty to stalking, the offence being committed between May 2018 and March this year.

His barrister, Jeffrey Jones, said on his behalf: “The thought of going to prison frightens him. He is in full-time employment and his work ethic is very good.

“There was no form of assault. Prison would be a hard environment for him and he would lose his job.”

Recorder Bould jailed the defendant for two years and made him the subject of an indefinite restraining order.

Jones must also pay a £170 victim surcharge upon his release from custody.