A man jailed after threatening to kill his estranged wife continued to phone her from prison.

Louise Roderick said she was terrified after several messages and missed calls from her ex, Jason Roderick.

On one day the 36-year-old from St John’s Avenue in Newsome phoned her every 20 minutes, Kirklees magistrates heard.

In December he was jailed for three months after pleading guilty to witness intimidation.

A judge at Leeds Crown Court heard that when that offence occurred Roderick was on bail for assault and criminal damage.

He was bailed with the condition not to contact her or go to her home in Holmfirth.

But she received a phone call from him in which he warned her is she did not drop the charges against him she would be dead in 24 hours.

Roderick also received a jail term for the original matters and was barred from communicating with Mrs Roderick via an indefinite restraining order.

But just days after his release he appeared in custody before magistrates in Huddersfield charged with breaching the order.

Roderick admitted that he contacted his ex between December 23 and January 2.

Alex Bozman, prosecuting, said that during this Christmas period she received a number of calls and missed calls from Roderick.

He said: “These calls were every 20 minutes on December 28. On January 1 she answered a call from him saying he was out in four weeks and could somebody collect his belongings.

“She told him to stop ringing her and he said his solicitor said he could contact her, he said he was coming to see her.

“Mrs Roderick says she’s terrified of Mr Roderick and what he’s capable of. He’s made threats in the past and has concerns if he’s released he’ll come round to her address.”

She’d hoped the restraining order would be the end of it.”

Sonia Kidd, mitigating, said that her client’s ex would have been on a list of numbers he was banned from contacting from prison.

But he admitted calling her and Mrs Kidd the messages including wishing her a happy Christmas and telling her that he loved her.

Mrs Kidd added: “None of these calls were of a malicious intent. He understands he ought not to have made these calls but he found it difficult (after) receiving mixed messages.”

Magistrates ordered a report before Roderick’s sentencing on February 16 and remanded him in custody.