An 18-year-old woman has appeared in court charged with threatening her ex-boyfriend with an air gun and saying she would throw acid in his face after they split up.

Krystle Bates, of Church Street, Maidstone, pleaded guilty to sending Facebook messages which warned of a toxic attack on her former partner, Chris West, following the end of their three-year relationship.

Appearing at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court, she also admitted damaging a door belonging to Mr West’s new partner Alanah Westwood after being angered by a video call he made to her showing the two of them having sex.

But Bates denied two further charges, of assaulting him and threatening him with a bolt action air rifle, back in January.

The court heard how, on March 6, Bates attempted to contact Mr West on Facebook but after finding she had been blocked, messaged Miss Westwood instead saying: “Will you still love him if I throw acid in his face?”

Kate Smith, prosecuting, said: “Mr West believes that Miss Bates is capable of carrying out the threat due to hostile behaviour while they were together.”

She admitted sending the message but later said she did not intend to carry out the threat and lacked the means to get hold of acid.

The following Saturday, Bates went to Miss Westwood’s home in Maidstone where she admitted kicking her door, causing a vertical crack.

The court heard she was provoked after Mr Bates made the explicit video call to her.

Simon Holmes, defending, said: “This was a relationship of three years.

“It ended around three months ago and she found out he was cheating on her pretty much the entire time.”

Bates, who is due to be sentenced on Wednesday, May 2, has been told to expect a high level community order which may include unpaid work or curfews.

Because of the severity of the remaining allegations, of assault and possession of an air gun, her case on those charges will be heard at Maidstone Crown Court.