Man sends chilling video inside ex-partner's Fareham house and threatens to "smash face in"

Andrew Cosias, 28, admitted a charge of stalking with fear of violence after exploding with rage having received the goading message on February 4. Portsmouth Crown Court heard how the defendant attended the female’s Fareham address and lobbed a brick through a window and went to her work place as he attempted to hunt her down.

After forcing his way inside the victim’s home he videoed the premises and sent threatening messages in which he vowed to “smash (her) face in”. “I will break your jaw,” he told her. “I’m going to hurt you. I’m going to lose it again.”

The court heard Cosias, of Baker Way, Witham in Essex, carried out his “prolonged” onslaught over a matter of hours. The woman believed her former lover was “capable” of hurting her. He was classed as a medium risk of harming her. The court was told Cosias had a previous conviction for using threatening and abusive words.

Judge, recorder Daniel Sawyer, said Cosias had been “civil” with his ex-partner which had been to their “credit” before he received the inflammatory message from the woman’s current partner. “You received a text message and overreacted to it in a gross way. You went to her work and house and sent her a video of you searching her house,” he said.

“You sent threatening texts including threatening to break her jaw. These were disgraceful, no matter what the provocation. I accept the texts were provocative but this is not what we do.”

But the judge said he would not jail Cosias for his menacing actions after he had demonstrated he “can be civil”. The judge added: “You came very close to going to prison. You’ve got to learn to rise above it.”

Cosias was handed an 18-month community order, told to complete 180 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation days. He must also comply with a five-year restraining order.