Sunderland man jailed for bombarding partner with threats
A man who bombarded his ex-partner with threats, including claims he would torture her and "stamp" on her children, has been jailed.Kim Forth, 39, deluged the woman with violent and aggressive text messages and voice notes before turning up at her house, Newcastle Crown Court heard.He was arrested after climbing on to her shed roof to try and access a window he had previously broken, the court heard.Forth, from Sunderland, was jailed for one year and four months after admitting sending threatening communications, threatening criminal damage and harassment.
Recorder Ian Mullarkey said it was an "appalling episode of threatening and abusive behaviour" which "terrorised" the woman.
'Excessively jealous'
Forth and the woman began a relationship in March 2023 which was "initially good" but then "deteriorated", prosecutor Graham O'Sullivan said.She said Forth, a roofer from Moorsley Road in High Moorsley, was "emotionally abusive and threatening" and appeared to be "excessively jealous", the court heard.After an argument on 26 January, he spent that evening sending her vile messages and voice notes, Mr O'Sullivan said.Among the threats were claims he would torture the woman, put her in a coma, smash her windows and, if her children tried to intervene, "stamp all over" them, the court heard.She called police who attended her home, with officers able to monitor his movements through the couple's phone location services, the court was told."Alarmingly, they could see he was getting closer and closer to her home," Mr O'Sullivan said.When he arrived, he climbed on to a shed with the apparent aim of getting to a bedroom window he had previously broken, the court heard.Police talked him down and arrested him, but as he was led away he was heard to say the woman would "get a good hiding" when he was released, Mr O'Sullivan said.In a statement read to the court, the woman said Forth had made her feel scared and mentally unwell, adding she feared what he might do and just wanted to be her "old self".In mitigation, Sophie Allinson-Howells said the episode was out of character.A restraining order banning Forth from contacting the woman for five years was also made.
Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow teacher struck off after OnlyFans page discovered
Kirsty Buchan, 39, from Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, resigned from Bannerman High School in Baillieston in December 2022, following the exposure of her online activity. The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) has now ruled that her conduct amounted to professional misconduct, formally removing her from the register. READ MORE: Circumstances surrounding Cole Cooper's disappearance 'remain unexplained', cops say The BBC reported that GTCS found that Buchan had failed to conceal her identity or her profession while running an explicit OnlyFans account under the alias Jessica Jackrabbit, which she also promoted publicly on Instagram. Her profile described her as a "good teacher gone bad" with a "sexy tight body." According to Gary Burton, solicitor and presenting officer for the GTCS, Buchan "used her profession as a selling tool" and demonstrated "zero insight into her conduct." He added that there had been a significant blurring of her professional and private life, and that the school had become 'synonymous with having an OnlyFans teacher.' The panel concluded that Buchan's behaviour "lacked integrity" and recommended a two-year minimum before she could reapply for registration—if ever. Prior to the GTCS's decision, Ms Buchan told BBC News she felt there was no point in going to the hearing because "it's clear they've already made their mind up". She said: "I didn't want to leave my job, but I also had to make more money. I even had other jobs before going down the OnlyFans road – I worked in Tesco, I worked as an elf at a Braehead Christmas event. I was always a hard worker. "My images were illegally downloaded and shared with pupils in the school that I worked in – the career that I worked my whole life to get. So I had no choice but to leave." Headteacher Seonaidh Black described Buchan as a "bubbly and enthusiastic" teacher who showed poor judgment online. She confirmed that Buchan's social media accounts were publicly accessible and that informal discussions had previously been held to address boundary concerns. In November 2022, Buchan was signed off work with stress. Shortly after, senior pupils in S5 and S6 began circulating screenshots from her OnlyFans page. READ MORE: Spurned cop who stalked ex-partner caught driving while disqualified Staff were alerted when a deputy head shared screenshots reportedly viewed by students. One email, sent from a pupil's account and allegedly penned by a parent, contained images of Buchan topless and in lingerie. Ms Black said, 'It was obvious everyone knew what was going on." Around the same time, staff at the school were taking part in strikes over pupil behaviour. Ms Black said the timings of the revelations about Ms Buchan's OnlyFans page were "coincidental or perhaps deliberate". She said: "The OnlyFans thing happened two days before teachers were on a picket line at the school gate." Ms Black said the school had tried to make sure young people felt "valued for who they are, not thinking everything is about what's on show on social media". She said: "What doesn't help is when your teacher is on a website where the content they are presenting has a pornographic element to it. We're trying to say 'this is what life is all about' and the role model – the teacher – is countering what we're trying to teach." Ms Black added it would be "a long time before the situation involving Kirsty is no longer talked about". The hearing heard that Ms Buchan had given a number of interviews to the Daily Record newspaper, where she said she was able to make £50,000 per month through OnlyFans. In a video interview, played to the panel, she said it was "the definition of insanity" for her to be working long hours as a teacher when she could make more money to "sit on her behind". She said: "If people have a problem, then it's because they can't do it themselves." GTCS investigators confirmed that parts of her OnlyFans profile were accessible without a subscription, further blurring the lines of privacy. READ MORE: Woman jailed in UK's first monkey torture case Investigating officer Hannah Oakley said members of the public could access a limited section of Ms Buchan's OnlyFans profile without having to sign up or subscribe. She said she was able to do this as there had been several press articles about Ms Buchan's online activity, which included screenshots of her OnlyFans profile name. She said: "I knew exactly what I was looking for and where I was looking for [it]." The GTCS found that all allegations against Ms Buchan had been proven and decided that she should be struck off on Monday afternoon. Glasgow City Council conducted its own investigation and issued a firm response: "The council has a code of conduct that all employees should adhere to and a teacher who has actively pursued a second income on this type of website brings their school, the council and their profession into disrepute."
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Bizarre ‘boil in a bag' funerals where bodies are LIQUIFIED & flushed down a drain could get the go-ahead in UK
It uses high temperatures to corrode the body into a liquid disposed as wastewater WAVE GOODBYE Bizarre 'boil in a bag' funerals where bodies are LIQUIFIED & flushed down a drain could get the go-ahead in UK Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) "BOIL in a bag" funerals could be set to become available in the UK - as controversial method criticised as disrespectful. The alternative method, which is already available in other countries, works to dissolve bodies and flush them down the drain. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The process produces a liquid that is disposed of as wastewater Credit: Getty 4 Bodies are corroded using alkaline chemicals and water at high temperatures Credit: Instagram/Bio-Response 4 The method could be allowed in the UK following a consultation Credit: The Sun A consultation by the Law Commission is underway and could see the bizarre practice replacing traditional funerals which involve ground burials or flame-based cremation. There is currently no regulatory framework on the practice, meaning it is effectively banned in the UK - but the consultation could see this change. Advocates that support so-called water cremation or alkaline hydrolysis, claim that it is better for the environment. Skeptics that are opposed to the technique believe that it is a disrespectful way to treat the dead. Water cremation consists of using water and alkaline chemicals at a high temperature to rapidly decompose a corpse. The body is loaded into a pressure vessel containing the corrosive liquid, and is heated to around 160 degrees Celsius. This leaves liquid, known as 'effluent' which can be poured down the drain with other wastewater. It doesn't contain any tissue or DNA, and is described as a brown colour resembling "tea or an ale". The remaining bones can then be ground to ash for the bereaved loved ones to take home. These can then be scattered or kept in a similar way to traditional ashes from a flame-based cremation. Murdered farmer Michael Gaine given special guard of honour after funeral mass Any metal hip and knee joints remain intact. One funeral home in Minnesota paid $750,000 (£580,000) to install the approximately six foot by four foot chamber a decade ago. It is a relatively easy process for undertakers who just push a few buttons to get the chamber to start filling with water. Despite having been patented in 1888, the process is yet to reach mainstream use. While some see the process as mirroring the baptism at the start of life, others view it as disrespectful. Critics have argued that it could be seen as a kind of desecration of the body, the majority of which is disposed as wastewater. Dr Lian Lundy, a wastewater specialist at Middlesex University told The Telegraph: "Some people view it as basically mixing up my loved one with poo in the sewer and they don't like that. "But there's a lot that goes into the sewer that we don't really think about – waste from mortuaries and hospitals and all sorts of things that we don't know about – so from that perspective, it's not really any different." 4 The remaining ashes are then given to loved ones Credit: Resomationltd Co-op Funeralcare previously promised to offer the service in 2023 - but plans were delayed as they couldn't get through the regulatory framework. It is already available in nearly 30 states, in Canada, South Africa, and in Ireland - which became the first in Europe when it opened a facility in early 2023. Estimates suggest that the cost of water cremation will be similar to flame-based cremation, typically costing $1,500 to $5,000 in states where it is already legal. It could also provide a more environmentally-alternative to traditional methods. Flame-based cremation releases around 535 pounds of carbon dioxide in to the air while burials can pollute the surrounding soil.
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Who is Love Island 2025 contestant Conor Phillips?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CONOR Phillips was a last-minute replacement for Kyle Ashman, who was sent packing before Love Island 2025 kicked off. Here we get to know the pro rugby-playing Irishman, who's ready for romance in the famous villa. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Conor Phillips is a new Love Island star 4 Conor plays for Munster's academy and has represented Ireland at U20 level and in the international 7s Credit: Instagram 4 He's looking for his perfect match on Love Island 2025 Kyle Ashman, 23, was sent packing from Majorca days before the new series launched. This came after it emerged he'd been quizzed by cops over a machete attack at a wake in February 2025. Kyle broke his silence on his exit, saying: 'I fully co-operated with this police investigation and made it very clear that I had no involvement in this incident. 'I am not a violent person and any suggestion otherwise is a mischaracterisation.' Another Islander, Dejon Williams, was also questioned by police after being accused of stealing a woman's phone on a night out. He told The Sun: 'I was never arrested. I voluntarily spoke to the police to clarify the truth about what happened in this incident, with no further action taken. "To stress, my intentions here were entirely honourable and it is very upsetting to read claims that suggest otherwise.' ITV was aware of the incident with Dejon when he secured his place on the show, a spokesman confirmed. On June 4, 2025, Love Island revealed professional rugby player Conor Phillips would be taking his place — here's everything you need to know about him. Who is Conor Phillips? Conor is a contestant in the starting lineup for Love Island 2025. Brutal twist rocks villa as bombshell enters during first episode The 25-year-old rugby pro plays for Munster's academy and has represented Ireland at U20 level and in the international 7s. Conor's looking for "someone who is really sure of themselves, ambitious, a bit of a go-getter and good craic. I like dark eyes and I don't mind a dominant woman". When it comes to turn offs, he added: "Being too needy, or needing to do everything together. "I like someone to be independent and do their own thing and then we come together and do our thing." Speaking to press, Conor revealed the most unusual place he's had sex. He shared: "Probably behind a nightclub, I think, is the craziest, to be honest. Hopefully this is the right place, and it should be, you know, because you're in a lovely villa surrounded by beautiful people, so I'm hoping that this is the one Conor Phillips "I know it's nothing too crazy. I was young as well." He also opened up about how his mother feels about him joining Love Island. He said: "It's a weird one for parents. My mam will be quite reserved and low key. So, it's a bit out of her comfort zone. "But again, she knew that I'm an adult, so I'm going to make my own decision, and she's going to support me. Admitting he'd broken show rules before entering the famous villa, Conor revealed he'd sought advice from past winner Greg O'Shea. Islanders are forbidden from revealing their involvement in the series before it starts. 4 Conor has never really been in a long relationship and believes Love Island is the right place to find a partner Credit: Instagram Fellow Irish rugby player Greg, 30, won series five alongside Amber Gill. Conor shared: "I know Greg through rugby circles so I spoke to him about going on Love Island. "He just said 'be yourself, it's a really really really cool experience that not many people get. "So enjoy it and yeah take it day by day and if you can be yourself you can't really go too far wrong'. "So that's my plan. He was like 'my advice might be a bit different from others because I won'." He added: "I'm 25 and I've only had one relationship and it wasn't very long. "So I feel like I'm maybe doing something wrong or maybe I'm not in the right places. "So, hopefully this is the right place, and it should be, you know, because you're in a lovely villa surrounded by beautiful people, so I'm hoping that this is the one."
