Father Jailed for Death Threats Against Son

A Pembrokeshire man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after making horrific threats to kill his own son.

Fraser Bourke-Connell, 53, of Cilgerran, appeared at Swansea Crown Court where he admitted making threats to kill, sending threatening communications, threatening to damage property, and harassment without violence between June and October last year.

The court heard that on 7th September, whilst driving home from the theatre in Cardigan, Bourke-Connell “became erratic” and demanded his partner take him to his son’s house, saying his son “can’t get away with ruining my evening”. He told her his son “needs to die” and “I need to kill him tonight”.

Following his arrest and release on bail, prosecutor Ashanti-Jade Walton told the court that during a conversation with his mental health community advocate on 4th October, Bourke-Connell said he wanted to kill his son, disclosing he wanted to “stab him with his own femur”.

Days later, he made further chilling threats during another phone call, saying he wanted to strangle his son and mutilate him, suggesting he would make his partner watch.

The harassment charges related to unwanted messages sent between 30th June and 31st August, where Bourke-Connell told his son he “wanted him to die” and that he “wanted to snap his leg and stab him in the chest with it”.

Emily Bennett, defending, said the defendant’s guilty pleas showed he was “taking responsibility for his actions” and that he was now accepting support for his mental health diagnosis whilst in custody.

Judge Catherine Richards sentenced Bourke-Connell to 18 months imprisonment and granted his son a three-year restraining order.