A suspended chef who threatened to burn his boss’s house down and kill her partner has dodged a prison sentence.
Stewart Burne-Jones sent Claire McLaren a series of Facebook messages as well as a picture of her front door on Happyhillock Road.
He said in one of the messages: “I don’t want to set the world on fire but your house will do just fine.”
A sheriff previously warned Burne-Jones that he put himself at risk of a prison sentence.
It was revealed at Dundee Sheriff Court that Burne-Jones was suspended from his work with a city restaurant and approached Miss McLaren, his manager, on a team night out.
Just after midnight on April 4, Miss McLaren received Facebook messages threatening both her and her partner Ryan McCulloch.
Depute fiscal Isobel Vincent said: “The accused said: ‘I am about to barge into your house right now. Ryan better be there. I am coming to kill Ryan. Assassinate him. I am outside your house. **** you both. Die soon.’”
The 33-year-old, of Helmsdale Crescent, pleaded guilty to sending abusive messages to the pair.
Defence solicitor Stuart Hamilton said that Burne-Jones had been seeking help for his difficulty with alcohol.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael ordered him to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work and supervision for 18 months as an alternative to custody.
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