SENDING threatening messages to a former girlfriend has landed a Lisnaskea man before Fermanagh Magistrates Court.

Nineteen year old Peter Smith from Lower Main Street, Lisnaskea faced two charges of sending menacing messages via the Internet.

The court heard the injured party in this case was a former girlfriend of the defendant and that between January 20 and February 1 this year the defendant sent threatening text messages to the injured party.

The prosecutor said the defendant also left abusive messages on the injured party's Bebo page saying he was going to 'leave her in a bad way'.

Threats were also posted on Bebo pages belonging to friends of the injured party saying that the defendant was going to break all the windows in his former girlfriend's car and that she better watch out for her car.

Defending, Bernard Corrigan said these offences occurred following a break-up of a relationship between the defendant and the injured party.

Mr Corrigan said texts were going in both directions from the defendant and the injured party but the solicitor said the defendant had already been cautioned about these texts.

At the time of these offences the defendant had no other convictions but Mr Corrigan said the defendant has been before the Crown Court since.

Since these offences were committed the defendant has apologised to the injured party and her family and Mr Corrigan made it clear there had been no attempt to carry out any of these threats.

District Judge Bernadette Kelly said 'This was a nasty, nasty way to behave' and fined the defendant £150 on each of the charges.