A 20-year-old man who told a psychiatrist he wanted to kill his probation officer has been locked up for 15 months.

Maidstone Crown Court heard that the threats were so serious the psychiatrist was compelled to break patient confidentiality.

Brendan Stewart had said he wanted to kill Julie Hall with a screwdriver. However, following his arrest he said he instead wanted to plunge a nine-inch nail into her neck.

Stewart, of Ebbsfleet Walk, Northfleet, admitted making threats to kill in May this year. On passing sentence, Judge Michael Lawson QC said probation officers deserved to be protected.

"You threatened to do real harm to a probation officer intent on assisting you," he added.

Stewart, who had spent 171 days on remand, will transfer from a young offenders’ institution to prison after he turns 21 this week.

The court heard Stewart was subject to a community order for criminal damage when he was seeing Mrs Hall.

As well as the offence of criminal damage, Stewart has previous convictions for assault and affray.

Tom Allen, defending, said Stewart suffered from personality problems but that the offence was not so serious as to warrant a lengthy custodial sentence.