A HMP BERWYN prisoner who sent a string of threatening letters to an ex-partner, using the names of other inmates, has been handed further jail time.

Jack Dalton, 34, of no fixed abode, appeared before Mold Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday, March 22.

He had previously pleaded guilty to five counts of breaching a restraining order on February 1 of this year.

Rosemary Proctor, prosecuting, told the court that at the time of the offending, Dalton was already serving a three year spell in prison, having been sentenced for arson at Preston Crown Court on May 20, 2021.

As well as the three-year sentence, a seven-year restraining order was imposed denying Dalton contact with the victim. 

However, the prosecution told the court that the order was to be breached no less than five times as Dalton, who is also known as Jack Clegg Walsh, began sending letters out from inside HMP Berwyn.

The first letter reached the address of his victim on December 21, 2021, the court heard.

This was in the form of a Christmas card and among the threats issued was a line which read 'lessons will be learnt in a valuable way'.

The second letter arrived on March 22, 2022 before another came on May 25, 2022 warning that the 'weather was warming up to hot temperatures'.

Another letter then followed on July 5, 2022 which referred to 'petrol', and 'orange sky' and a 'ticking bomb' before a final letter arrived days later and was full of 'derogatory terms' towards the victim.

The letters, the court was told were signed off under the names of other inmates at HMP Berwyn but there was 'no suggestion' that any of these inmates knew about the letters.

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PIC: HMP Berwyn, Wrexham.

In a personal statement read out in court, the victim said that the incidents had left her feeling 'stressed and anxious'.

The statement added that she had 'considered moving' in fear he would be released from prison.

She added: "The thought of him being released one day fills me with dread. There was no limit to how low he would stoop."

Kate Morley defending Dalton said the defendant felt 'very ashamed' by what he had done.

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She added that Dalton had been diagnosed with bipolar and that he 'struggles to manage' it.

She added that his actions were 'at best, spiteful and at worst, very intimidating.'

Judge Rhys Rowlands sentenced Dalton for the first and last breach only, with no separate penalties for the others.

For the first breach (December 21, 2021), he was handed four months and for the last in July 2022, he was given 20 months.

The sentences will run consecutively for a period of two years.