A jealous husband threatened to put his estranged wife’s new ‘friend’ in a coma after he became convinced she was seeing a ‘tanned man’ at the gym.
Julie Horridge was stalked over a four-month period by David Horridge, 58, who ‘wanted answers’ after the pair split up after more than 25 years together.
The builder suspected Mrs Horridge was dating a man from the gym and confronted his ex and her lover outside her new flat, yelling: ‘what the f*** are you doing’.
Manchester Magistrates Court heard how Horridge had given Mrs Horridge a black eye in a previous assault, and had threatened to put her in a coma.
He made similar threats after they broke up, claiming he would also put her ‘friend’ in a coma or stab him.
Mrs Horridge also spoke of her fear that Horridge could launch an acid attack against her, after he left a note to say there was graffiti on her wall and she should clean it off with the corrosive substance.
Julie Horridge (shown left) was stalked over a four-month period by David Horridge (right, seen leaving Manchester Magistrates Court), who ‘wanted answers’ after the pair split up
Suspecting the mother-of-one (pictured) was dating a ‘tanned’ man at the gym, Horridge tracked down her new home and confronted his ex and her new lover
He also left a note on his wife’s car, reading: ‘Ring me I need to talk to you, if you don’t ring I’ll come to the shop or gym.
‘The more I don’t hear the madder I’m getting. I need to put this to bed after 26 years.’
Having confronted Mrs Horridge and her lover, he only retreated back to his vehicle when he realised he accidentally left the handbrake off and was forced to jump back when the vehicle started rolling away.
It emerged Horridge had previously been convicted of assault after giving his wife a black eye.
In a statement to police Mrs Horridge, who is in her 40s, said: ‘I’m worried and anxious all the time about where David is and whether he’s watching me.
‘He’s made threats he will go to my gym and salon. I do worry he will go to the salon this could cause disruption to my clients. It seems he is at a low point.
‘He had threatened to put me in a coma when he gave me a black eye and said if I had a “friend” he would put him in a coma too or stab him in the back.
The court heard the couple had split up in 2015 after 22 years of marriage but Mrs Horridge (shown) continued living under the same roof as her husband at the family’s £200,000 home
‘David has put someone in a coma before too so I take these threats seriously. I didn’t like the fact he was going to use acid, I didn’t like the fact he could get his hands on acid.’
Horridge admitted stalking between October 1, 2017 and January 29 this year and was banned from contacting her for three years.
The court heard the couple had split up in 2015 after 22 years of marriage but she continued living under the same roof as Horridge at the family’s £200,000 home in Tottington near Bury.
Prosecuting, Joanne Moore, said: ‘This was not without some difficulties. There was a conviction for assault on November 4 2016 for which he received a community order.
‘Mrs Horridge went to Spain, she later returned and on October 1 when leaving the home address she noticed the defendant’s keys were by the door.
‘She saw he had a key to her bedroom door. Without her consent he got her bedroom door key cut.
It emerged that Horridge had previously been convicted of assault after giving Mrs Horridge (pictured) a black eye
‘A few weeks later in the gym she was made aware of the fact that the defendant had been in reception asking whether she trains with a guy who is tanned.
‘He said he was just at the gym checking up on her. She noticed that whilst driving she would pull over because the defendant would be behind her driving past and he would ask her what she was doing.
‘She wouldn’t tell him and she started to come to the conclusion that the defendant was following her.
‘She was called from an unknown number and it was the defendant asking where she was.
‘It escalated to the point she had moved out and didn’t tell him where she had moved to.
Horridge (pictured) was given a restraining order banning him from contacting his wife
‘But he contacted her and told her she needs something to clean the graffiti off her outside wall. There is indeed graffiti on her outside wall so he must know where she is living.
The court heard Horridge had developed an ‘obsessional need’ to find out why the relationship his wife ended with a probation report saying he was ‘feeling she might have been cheating or had gone on to form a new relationship shortly after’.
But district judge James Hatton told Horridge: ‘You have engaged in is a long lasting campaign of stalking the victim in this case. You attended the work, home and a number of different addresses.
‘Because of your inability to deal with the relationship breakdown you have invaded her personal circumstances and adversely affected her quality of life.
‘You have precious convictions, one is not that old and relates to this individual. It’s clear to me Mrs Horridge requires protection from you and I’m going to give her that.
‘Rest assured if you continue with this behaviour you are going to find yourself in prison.
‘You are 58 and a grandfather, if that doesn’t hit home how ridiculous it is that you have acted in this way and how you have made your grandchild’s grandmother feel, then nothing is.’
The restraining order stops Horridge from contacting his wife, going to her home address, going to a store where she cleans in the mornings and going to the salon she works at.
He was also sentenced to 12 weeks in custody suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £200 in costs and surcharges.