A man confessed to having murderous thoughts about a former partner, who he blamed for the loss of £100,000.

Scott Beasley, of East Farleigh told a health professional how he was planning to kill his ex before committing suicide.

But the 50-year-old, from River Close, was arrested by police in May and kept in custody.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how the death threats were made while he was serving a suspended jail sentence imposed for offences against the same victim.

Allister Walker, prosecuting, told how Beasley spoke to a community nurse who had telephoned him to carry out an assessment of his mental health.

That followed a visit to his GP where he said he was concerned about his violent thoughts towards his partner of 19 years.

He told the alarmed health professional: ''I plan to stab her, maim her or burn her with acid.''

The nurse was so concerned she immediately alerted the police.

Judge Stephen Thomas said: ''Over the course of that telephone call Beasley told the mental health nurse that he was hearing voices in his head telling him to kill his ex-girlfriend.''

The judge told Beasley, who admitted making a malicious communication, ''You said she had caused you financial loss of around £100,000.

"You said you were planning on killing yourself after you had killed your girlfriend.

''This was a definite plan; although you now take issue with the actual words you said.

"But the thrust was clear that you were saying: you had thoughts of doing considerable violence towards your former partner and to kill her.''

Beasley was examined by a psychiatrist who concluded his problems were caused by cocaine and alcohol rather than any mental illness.

The judge jailed him for six months, telling him: "Although this was not a direct conversation with your former partner it was very serious, in my judgement, in its realism."

He also gave him another 30 days in jail because he had breached the suspended sentence.

Beasley is also banned from contacting his ex or going near her home or place of work for five years.

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