“I FEEL born again. I got my new blade like the joker in the Dark Knight. Guess whose blood I want to shed first?”

This is the chilling text sent by a Great Sankey man whose unrequited affections provoked him to subject the woman he lusted after to a month of harassment.

Benjamin Ryan, from Waterways, appeared at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday wearing an open neck white shirt and black suit after pleading guilty to harassing Nicola Smith.

Motivated by jealousy that spun out of control after Ms Smith, a former friend, had started a relationship with another man, the court heard that 33-year-old Ryan sent her 38 text messages between last October 31 and November 30 including a number that were threatening.

Clare Sedgmond, prosecuting, said: “They were two friends who met at a local pub. She refused to form a relationship with him.

“At first he accepted this and they remained friends but when she got into a relationship the defendant became abusive.

“She changed her phone number but the defendant then directed his threats to Ms Smith’s sister who works at the pub where they met.”

Ms Smith said Ryan was frightening her with the messages, which were mostly sent at weekends and were mainly threatening toward her partner.

The torrent of abuse ended only when Ms Smith contacted the police after Ryan threatened to spill blood in the last text he sent her at 12.33am on Sunday, November 30.

He was arrested and admitted sending the messages saying he ‘wanted to clear his conscience’.

Ms Sedgmond added: “He said he was jealous of Dave although he knew Ms Smith did not want a relationship with him.

“He wanted to frighten him so he would leave and he could resume a relationship with Ms Smith.

“Despite being told he was frightening her he continued, so much so she felt she had to change her phone number telling him to leave her alone but he then targeted family members.”

Colin Balmford, defending, said Ryan, who has no previous convictions, had mental health problems.

He said: “He has addressed the issue of his mental health and has an appointment for ongoing therapy, which he is keen to carry on with.

“He had already addressed this with his GP long before this arose. He acknowledges he had problems.”

Ryan was given an indefinite restraining order and a 12 month community order with supervision requirements.