A Belfast man has been jailed for threatening to burn his ex-partner alive in a row over the return of clothes.
Prosecutors said the woman feared Thomas Muckian, 34, may try to set fire to a house while her family were inside.
Muckian, of Moyard Parade, in West Belfast, received a three-month sentence for threats to kill and threats to damage property endangering life. Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard the woman was confronted at a relative’s home in the west of the city in December 2019.
“Her ex-partner, the defendant, arrived and started shouting in the front garden that she would need to return clothes to him,” a Crown lawyer said.
Muckian then told the woman he was going to “kick her **** in” and kill her before she closed the door, according to the prosecution. It was contended that as he left empty handed he shouted to the woman: “I’m going to burn you and the clothes.”
The lawyer added: “She believed this was a threat to burn the home with her and her family inside.”
During police interviews Muckian denied making any threats, claiming the woman had been “slabbering”.
Defence counsel Turlough Madden described it as a domestic incident triggered by his client’s breakup with the victim.
“He has developed quite an addiction to drugs,” the barrister added.
District Judge George Conner imposed a total of three months custody for both offences.
