A disgruntled ex sent his vegetarian former-boyfriend a chicken dinner takeaway as part of a campaign of harassment that left him fearing for his safety.

Jack Chapple, 34, who has previously been sent to prison for harassing his ex-partner, bombarded the man with calls, emails and gifts.

In one message, sent in April at the height of his most recent wave of offending, he threatened: “When I’m released next time I’m coming straight to yours to murder you, so you should tell the police you will need a new [identity] or your life will be permanently in danger.”

In another email, sent a day after he made 269 calls, he warned: “Prison will only temporarily deter me.” Trying to buy his affections, he offered his ex '10 grand' for a new 'photo of your smile' in a WhatsApp message in early April. 

Prosecutor Matt Ward told Oxford Crown Court that on May 8, a Deliveroo delivery driver arrived at the victim’s home with fried chicken that he had not ordered. “Mr Chapple is well aware the complainant is a vegetarian,” the prosecutor said. Earlier on the same date, the victim had 45 missed calls in a matter of minutes from Chapple.

The day before, he sent a bunch of flowers to the man’s home with a note that read: “I hope these die quickly, like your love for me.”

And notwithstanding a message sent on May 8 in which he announced he was ‘going to try to get help’, the next day an unwanted delivery arrived at the ex-boyfriend’s home from ‘The Chocolate Treat Company’ sent by Chapple.

The court heard that Chapple and his victim, then living in Oxford, had met on a dating app in November 2019.

The relationship broke down the following May. But the victim gave him a second chance later in the year, after the defendant attended rehab. However, by December they separated a second time.

The following year, Chapple was twice before the courts for harassing his former partner – including for threatening to stab his ex and set himself on fire outside the parents’ home in Leicestershire to which his ex-boyfriend had returned.

A restraining order was imposed banning contact with the ex-boyfriend, who by now had moved house. But in what Mr Ward described as a ‘most unfortunate and regrettable oversight’, the victim’s new address was included in the order.

He breached the restraining order last summer and was jailed for 11 weeks by the magistrates in July.

Sentencing him for the new harassment charges, committed between February 24 and May 13, Judge Nigel Daly said: “Here you are again, harassing this man, making threats towards him and his family. Violent threats. Threats to kill people or at least that is how they could be taken. These are serious matters.”

Chapple, of Cope Close, Botley, pleaded guilty to harassment, breach of a restraining order and possession of cannabis at an earlier hearing.

Mitigating, Emma Hornby had asked the judge to suspend the prison sentence to enable her client to get mental health support in the community. “This is his opportunity to change,” she said.

However, Judge Daly said he did not think there was a realistic prospect of his being rehabilitated in the community and jailed him for 20 months.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward