The mum knew what her brother was capable of and the people he associated with
A general image of a woman using her mobile phone(Image: Shutterstock)
A mum fled her Birmingham home and left the city in terror after what her brother said to her down the phone.
Kevin Bennett called his sibling in a rage and threatened to kill her for supposedly saying his girlfriend should break up with him.
The 43-year-old refused to back down when their mother got involved, telling her she could ‘get hurt’ if she tried to intervene.
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He later wrote grovelling letters of apology to both women and claimed he could not remember what he said because he had been drinking.
Bennett, from Sheldon Heath Road, Stechford, admitted making threats to kill and a threatening communication offence.
At Birmingham Crown Court he was sentenced to two years and four months and hit with a ten-year restraining order banning him from contact with his sister.
Bennett had called her on August 12 this year using his girlfriend’s telephone.
Edmund Blackman, prosecuting, said: “After a brief pleasantry he launched into a tirade of abuse and threats directed at her.
“She described him as being like a bulldog on the rampage.
“It appears the source of his angst was his belief his sister had suggested his girlfriend would be better served not having a relationship with this defendant.”
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He said Bennett ‘repeatedly’ threatened to kill his sister and warned he knew where she lived, prompting the victim to hyperventilate in panic.
Mr Blackman added: “This defendant’s sister took the threat very seriously and believed he was capable of carrying out such threats.
“She knows he’s been in prison many times, knows who he associates with and was extremely fearful.
“After the phone call ended he kept trying to call her back but she wouldn’t answer.
“She left her address and moved to London.”
The court heard the sister immediately relayed what had happened to her mother who drove to see her, but received a call from Bennett on the way.
He said he was ‘getting people to hurt her and smash up her house’ in relation to his sibling.
Mr Blackman continued: “He said: ‘It’s done I’m paying someone to hurt her. If you get in the way that’s down to you. Sorry if you get hurt’.”
His mother warned Bennett he would have to go through her first to get to his sister, before telling him to stop drinking and taking drugs.
The prosecutor concluded: “The next day he rang his mother and apologised for what he had done.
“It would appear he couldn’t quite properly remember what he had said or threatened.”
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John O’Higgins, defending, confirmed Bennett had since written to his mother and sister to apologise.
He stated he was in a ‘downward spiral’ at the time of making the threats, which involved drinking, taking drugs and not taking medication for his mental health conditions.
The barrister added: “Since then the attitude and behaviour of this defendant has completely changed.
“He presents as a different person. He is receiving proper treatment for his mental health in custody.”
Judge Simon Drew KC, passing sentence on Wednesday, December 10, described Bennett’s actions as ‘appalling’ but acknowledged he regretted them.
He said: “Writing letters does not make it all go away as I’m sure you appreciate.
“The threats you made to your sister, in particular the threats to kill, were genuine threats and they caused her enormous amounts of anxiety and distress.”