A WORKINGTON man sent menacing Facebook messages to a householder who objected to his bid to climb through a window of his house “Romeo and Juliet"-style.

A row between 40-year-old Michael Carr and the man broke out in late June.

Earlier in the month, the man had became aware that a set of ladders had been placed up against the wall of his house — while he was in hospital — by someone seeking to gain access to a bedroom.

He believed Carr was the culprit. At around 9-45pm on June 27, the man heard a loud noise outside his home.

He answered the door to find Carr and another male. There was an argument and a physical altercation between the occupant and Carr, who then left.

But less then 45 minutes later, the man received abusive Facebook voice messages sent by Carr. “You tell me I can’t go through your window,” Carr had said. “You are the biggest grass in town. I will go through anyone’s window.”

Carr also warned: “You’re going to get two hidings. I will deal with you, you ugly fat b*****d.”

Prosecutor Pam Fee told Workington Magistrates’ Court of the victim: “This has caused him to fear for his personal safety due to the threats issued.”

After police were alerted, Carr initially denied sending malicious messages and said he didn’t know who the man was.

He later accepted sending them but claimed he didn’t recall doing so because he was drunk.

Carr pleaded guilty to one charge of causing menacing messages to be sent by means of a public electronic communications network.

His lawyer, John Cooper, sought to give some background. Carr, he said, had attempted to use ladders to rouse a friend at the man’s address in his bid to “climb through the window Romeo and Juliet-style”.

But things had deteriorated after the householder found out, leading to the altercation on June 27. “In his own statement, he accepts punching Mr Carr and then they leave,” said Mr Cooper of the householder.

After police had become involved, the man had sent Carr a message, saying: “You’ve grassed yourself in with your messages, haha.”

Carr, of John Street, Workington, was fined £80 by magistrates, and must pay costs and a mandatory surcharge.

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