A MAN sent a letter threatening to crucify and eat his ex gay lover if he gave evidence against him, a court was told.

Stephen Kelly, who used to live on Wren Street in Paddock, even said he would cut his ex-boyfriend’s head off and post it to his mother.

Kelly, 20, was on remand in Wakefield jail at the time for trying to murder ex partner Paul Coombes with a claw hammer.

He posted the letter to Mr Coombes’ flat in Leeds but they had his fingerprints on them.

Kelly appeared at Leeds Crown Court to be sentenced after pleading guilty to intimidating a witness.

Judge Geoffrey Marson said the content of the letters were “the grossest threats I have ever heard”.

Robert Skyner, prosecuting, said one of the letters contained threats of torture, violence, crucifixion, cannibalism and death.

Mr Skyner said: “He said his head would be sent to his mother.”

But Mr Coombes, who suffered serious injuries in the hammer murder attempt last June, never received the letters because he was being treated in Pinderfields Hospital.

His carer found the letters and contacted police.

Kelly is currently serving and indeterminate sentence with a minimum of six years for attempted murder.

Mr Coombes, 55, had one of his legs shattered in three places and it had to be amputated because of the attack at his Leeds city centre flat last June.

In a previous hearing Leeds Crown Court head how Kelly had gone to live with Mr Coombes after his girlfriend kicked him out.

The two men had started a sexual relationship, but Coombes asked him to move out.

When Kelly brought a 15-year-old girl back to the flat Mr Coombes decided he wanted him to leave.

He called the police but was told it was a civil matter.

But Kelly heard Mr Coombes making the call.

The teenage girl was asleep in another room. Kelly woke her up and she watched as he threw Mr Coombes against the wall, over the sofa, and punched him in the face.

Kelly took hold of a claw hammer and hit Mr Coombes over and over again in the head, kneecaps and legs.

He later pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

Judge Marson on Wednesday sentenced Kelly to a further 12 months imprisonment, to run concurrent to his attempted murder sentence.

He said: “Your release is likely to be very many years in the future.

“The parole board will take into account this offence as to making a judgement when, if ever, you are likely to be released.”