A terrified woman and teenage children were forced to sleep in shifts after her former partner threatened to slit her throat.
John McHale made the chilling threat during a drunken call to his ex, Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard.
The 62-year-old was jailed after admitting a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, likely to cause fear or alarm.
He was ordered to stay away from his former partner for five years.
Clearly drunk
The court heard that McHale and the woman had been in a relationship for several years but that it had broken down and she had started a new relationship.
Fiscal depute Amy Robertson told the court: “At around 7.30pm the complainer received a Facebook Messenger call from the accused.
“He was civil about mail being sent from her address to his address.
“She could tell that he had been drinking as his words were slurred and he was struggling to speak at times.”
Ms Robertson said McHale’s behaviour then changed.
“He began to shout and swear use threats towards her and her partner,” she said.
“He repeatedly asked where her partner was and called her a liar when she said he was not with her.
“The accused uttered threats of violence.
“He threatened to stab her and uttered threats to kill.
“He said he would slit her throat in front of her children to see how that made them feel.
“He told the complainer he was going to come to the locus and do it that night.”
Children refused to leave mum alone
Ms Robertson said: “The complainer was fearful and contacted police.
“She asked her two children to leave and go to their sister’s nearby, but they refused as they did not want to leave her alone.”
McHale also contacted one of the children and made threats.
The fiscal depute added: “She and the children took it in turns sleeping through the night in fear of what would happen.”
McHale, of Ossian Crescent, Methil, admitted acting in a threatening and abusive manner at an address in Fife on two occasions on July 11.
A solicitor said his client had become irate in relation to a disagreement between himself and his ex-partner, who he felt was brushing concerns under the rug.
He said McHale’s words were spoken in anger: “He never had any intention of carrying them out.”
He said McHale suffered from cervical spondylosis and arthritis, meaning he had limited mobility and was unsuitable for an unpaid work order.
Sheriff Alison Michie jailed McHale for four-and-a-half months. She also banned him from contacting his ex-partner for five years.
