A Barming man was so enraged when he received a Liberal Democrat flyer through his door he bombarded the candidate with vile abuse and threats.

Mark Sanders, of Glebe Lane, sent four expletive-laden texts to the mobile number on the bottom of Maidstone and the Weald candidate Emily Fermor’s literature six days before the general election.

The messages were not delivered to the former Invicta Grammar School pupil as the number was in fact for her campaign HQ – instead an assistant, Jane Bird, was appalled to read what had been sent.

One message read: “How dare you put your **** in my door... I hope you and your kids get cancer and die a slow and painful death.” Another threatened to stab her with a carving knife, throw chilli powder at her and “melt you and your children’s faces with acid”.

Miss Fermor finished third behind the Conservatives and Labour on June 8, with 16.4% of the vote.

Sanders, who has a personality disorder and has been addicted to Class A drugs, has previously avoided jail following two similar offences.

In October 2015 he was handed a three-year conditional discharge after racially abusing a neighbour who he claimed kept waking him up with Islamic prayers.

He attacked a for sale sign outside her property and showed no remorse at court.

In January last year he escaped with a suspended sentence after telling an estate agent at Your Move, Tonbridge Road, “I hope you die of womb cancer”.

In May, he was jailed for 109 days for verbally abusing three people at Maidstone police station and possession of a pick axe handle with nails in it.

Following his latest offence the 49-year-old was arrested and appeared at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court last week.

He was sentenced to 120 days in prison and ordered to pay £200.