Woman threatened to have Leeds neighbour killed after brief fling turned sour

Sixty-one-year-old Julie Sargenti had scrawled the vile comments on the floor outside of his flat and on his door, where she lived opposite in the tower block on Potternewton Lane in Chapel Allerton. She had denied the incidents, but changed her plea to guilty for charges of racially-aggravated damage and harassment.

She was given a community order by Leeds Magistrates’ Court in October and ordered to stay away from the man via the restraining order.

But on December 21 she made a call to the man yelling: “You got me in trouble, I will come and sort you out for what you did.” The man reported the call to the police.

Two days later she knocked at his door and told him: “You f****** P***. I’m going to get you killed.”

Then on Christmas Eve she left five voicemail messages, racially abusing him further. Police arrested her on Christmas Day but she refused to be interviewed.

Prosecutor David Mackay told Leeds Crown Court said the pair previously had a brief fling, with both of them blaming each other for not being able to “let go”.

Sargenti was held on remand in HMP New Hall. Diagnosed with bi-polar disorder she received monthly injections. She admitted breaching the restraining order.

Mohammed Rafiq, mitigating, said for her age she has “a very limited (criminal) record”, has physical difficulties with raised tendons in both feet and walks with a stick, as well as her obvious mental-health problems.

He said: “The remarks she made are not pleasant, especially for those who receive those kind of comments. She very much regrets it. She is going to keep away from him from now on. She is sorry but she does need help.”

Judge Neil Clark gave her an 11-month sentence, suspended for 18 months. He revoked the community order and gave her a new 10-year restraining order.

He warned her: “If you approach this man or say anything offensive to him, you will start with the 11 months (in jail). This was serious offending. You have never troubled the courts before until you got into trouble for this.”