'Entitled violent thug' jailed again for sending threatening Tweet to his ex

Daniel James McFadden was out on licence for a previous violent incident involving his ex when he began communicating with her again, despite being given non-molestation order to keep him away .

The 33-year-old was returned to prison as a result.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court via video link from HMP Leeds, he admitted a charge of sending a message with an intent to cause anxiety.

Prosecutor Graham O'Sullivan said McFadden and the woman had been in a short-lived on/off relationship for around four to five months in 2016/17 and had twins together.

But McFadden was jailed twice, first in April 2017 when he used violence against her.

In 2018, he then punched her in the face before attacking one of her neighbours.

The non-molestation order, which prohibited from making contact with his former partner, was given to him just weeks before he was released in April, 2021.

He then began sending her Twitter messages, and when she persistently told him to stop, he called her an offensive name and also sent 'RIP', followed by her name.

Mr O'Sullivan read out an impact statement in which the woman said: "He has no regard for the non-molestation order and I'm really scared about what he will do.

"I fear for my own and my children's safety."

McFadden, of Westgate, Wakefield was arrested on May 27 and claimed she had contacted him first. He also denied that saying 'RIP' was a threat.

He has 11 convictions for 20 offences, including battery, assault and wounding.

Mitigating, Shila Whitehead, said her client, through his own "foolishness" had not read the terms of the non-molestation order before being released, but would not be contacting her again.

She added: "He knows he is at an age where he needs to stop offending and get his life in order."

But Judge Simon Batiste described him as a "violent thug who thinks he has an entitlement to use violence against women".

He said: "The only mitigation that exists is your guilty plea."

He handed him a 12-month jail term, but admitted it was "academic" because he was not eligible for parole until 2023 stemming from his previous offending.