Control freak from Sunderland told teen he wished she had been stabbed to death and she should commit suicide

Brian Happer was issued with a restraining order and given a suspended prison term in May 2017 after he exchanged explicit photographs with the underage victim during an "online relationship" then sent a naked photo of her to a member of her family and pestered her relations.

Newcastle Crown Court heard despite the ban, the 20-year-old contacted the teenager via Instagram to, initially, apologise for his behaviour, but then turned "nasty".

Prosecutor Alec Burns said Happer told her she couldn't wear certain clothes, called her fat and “told her to commit suicide”.

"She was really down and suffering anxiety,” he added. "He commented about a local murder and said he wished it was her who had been stabbed to death."

The court heard Happer sent a video of himself with a noose around his neck, saying he was going to kill himself and warned the teen, who is now an adult, she would be arrested if she reported his behaviour.

Happer was arrested in December last year after police found out about the messages.

Mr Burns added: "He was released on bail and the conditions were, of course, not to contact her. He did, of course, contact her and on March 4 he sent 17 messages to her."

Happer, of Shaftesbury Crescent, Sunderland, admitted breach of a restraining order and breach of a suspended sentence.

Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced Happer to 18 months behind bars.

The judge said the noose video was "obscene", Happer's behaviour was "manipulative" and added: "Throughout the entirety of the order he was breaching it."

Judge Rippon also told the court: "It is control and manipulation of her, in the worst way."

The court heard, at the request of the victim, no new restraining order was made and the existing one was disposed of.