A MAN threatened to “murder” his ex-partner and her new boyfriend in a row, a court heard.

Bradley Herring breached a five-year restraining order by delivering the foul-mouthed rant in a message over the social media platform Facebook message.

The order had been previously imposed after he assaulted his former lover and violated a non-molestation order created to protect her.

The 25-year-old claimed he “would get an M-charge”, which the new boyfriend took to mean a murder charge, a judge was told.

He also used a string of offensive and disturbing language towards the couple, Southampton Crown Court heard.

The court was told Herring had a “bad past of violating a court order” and had broken the rules of the restraining order twice previously.

After a spell behind bars, Herring was released in December but months later was abusing the pair on the social media platform, it was alleged.

In one message, read to the court by prosecutor John Dyer, Herring promised to find them and accused them of “incest”.

Richard Wayman, mitigating, said Herring had made a “impulsive and stupid mistake”.

He claimed that Herring had not intended to put the letter ‘M’ in the statement and the defendant had meant to hit the space bar on the keyboard instead, something Judge Peter Henry said wasn’t believable.

Mr Wayman added that the threats were not taken seriously by the couple.

Judge Henry said: “You must obey court orders which are made to protect people...you have history of not following them and for that I have no option but to send you to prison.”

Herring, of Hinkler Road, Bitterne, pleaded guilty to breaching the restraining order and sending malicious communications.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment.