A glue sniffer threatened to kill his ex-partner while they attended a court hearing in Canterbury. Richard Setterfield, 46, made the threat to Theresa Martin at the law courts in Chaucer Road, prompting her to run off and lock herself in a witness room.

The pair were at the court for a review of a non-molestation order Miss Martin had taken out against Setterfield.

Canterbury Magistrates Court heard that the order bans him from using or threatening violence against her or communicating with her except through solicitors. Prosecutor Teresa Ruiz said Setterfield had turned up at the court and had a conversation with Miss Martin’s solicitor in which he became increasingly aggressive. He then saw Miss Martin and shouted: “I’m going to kill you.”

Setterfield, who lives in Margate’s Invicta House tower block, admitted breaching the non-molestation order. Scott Neilson, defending, said Setterfield has a long history of glue sniffing which caused depression and is at the root of his offending behaviour. Mr Neilson said Setterfield had been given an anti-social behaviour order banning him from possessing or sniffing glue. “But there were times when the police would watch him go into a DIY shop and arrest him when he came out with the glue,” he said.“He was constantly in breach of his ASBO and spent most of a two-year period in custody.”

The solicitor said Setterfield and Miss Martin had had a difficult relationship and that Mr Neilson also said Setterfield was bombarded with texts from Miss Martin and her son threatening him or demanding money.“My client has spent time in custody because of her false allegations, all of which have been subsequently dropped because of unreliable evidence,” he said.“He would also receive up to 60 texts a day from her and her son basically because they were trying to get his benefits.“So he had gone to court that day in some annoyance, but he can’t offer any excuse for his behaviour and accepts it was appalling, particularly because there were members of the public around and it was in a court building.” Setterfield was jailed for 120 days. He has already spent 39 days on remand.