Man leading double life threatened Sunderland girlfriend with 'guaranteed death' when she uncovered his secret

A man leading a double life told his girlfriend she faced "guaranteed death" when she uncovered his secret and ended the relationship.

The victim had been in a two-year relationship with former soldier Paul Sandow when she discovered he was seeing another woman at the same time.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the woman and Sandow's other girlfriend spoke on the phone and even came up with a codeword "Prosecco", meaning they were safe to speak to each other without him overhearing.

Prosecutor Katie Spence told the court due to Sandow's betrayal, the victim ended her relationship with him in September 2019 and changed the locks at her home in Sunderland.

She then faced weeks of torment from Sandow, which included him threatening to kill her while waving a knife inside her home and stating "you might as well go into the kitchen, it's easier to clean up the blood".

Miss Spence told the court: "Mr Sandow and the complainant had been in a relationship since April 2017. They lived separately and had no children.

"At the same time Mr Sandow was also in a relationship with another woman.

"The other woman became suspicious about a number on his phone and called it. It was the complainant.

"They became aware of each other and that he was seeing both women. They came up with a word 'Prosecco', meaning they were safe and able to talk.

"After discovering he had been seeing someone else, the complainant changed her locks and sent him a text message confronting him."

Miss Spence said in response, Sandow warned the victim that not even a restraining order would keep him away from her and if she went to the police it would mean "guaranteed death".

He told her she was "making me want to murder someone" and warned her: "I'm going to pull your life apart."

Sandow sent the victim a message warning, "I won't stop until I find you", followed by skull and knife emojis.

The court heard a few days later the victim received a message from someone who had claimed to have found Sandow dead but she quickly realised it was actually from him and he apologised.

On another occasion Sandow parked his car in the middle of the road outside the victim's home and banged on the window until she felt forced to come out.

He then followed her into her home and Miss Spence added: "He was telling her he loved her but also 'I'm going to kill you now, you may as well go into the kitchen, it's easier to clean up the blood' while waving a knife."

The court heard the other woman turned up at the victim's home that night due to her concern for her.

The court was told Sandow sent flowers and Prosecco to the victim's workplace and asked her to "come and see Catherine the Great with me".

She returned home one night to find gifts, including some tweezers, had been left in her enclosed garden while she was out and assumed they were from him.

Sandow, 35, now of MacDonald Park. St Margarets Hope, Orkney, Scotland, admitted harassment.

The victim said in a statement she was left "emotionally and mentally exhausted" by Sandow's behaviour and even downloaded a special emergency distress alert app on her phone in an effort to protect herself.

She said in an impact statement, which she read in court herself: "I genuinely feared I would be murdered by Paul on Saturday September 28 (2019) when he showed up unannounced, began to wave a knife while telling me to go into the kitchen so blood could be cleaned up easier."

The court heard Sandow spent five years in the army and did a tour of Afghanistan. He went on to security work and personal training.

He now works as a scallop diver in Scotland and has a new partner, who accompanied him to court.

Judge Robert Adams said there has been no trouble since 2019 and Sandow appears to have "moved on".

Sandow was sentenced to 27 weeks, suspended for 12 months, with supervision and 150 hours unpaid work with a restraining order to keep him away from the victim.

Liam O'Brien, defending, said: "He is accompanied by his partner today. He is a changed man from that which the court has heard about."