A soldier who threatened to disfigure his former partner and young son with acid has walked free from court because he is needed in the army.
Robert Hanlon subjected his ex and her family to abhorrent threats, abuse and harassment, even setting up fake social media accounts and making vile comments about his own son.
The 24-year-old, of Blyth, Northumberland, was facing prison after admitting putting the woman in fear by stalking and harassing her dad. But after hearing senstive evidence in private from Hanlon's commanding officer, a judge suspended his prison sentence.
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Newcastle Crown Court heard Hanlon had been in a relationship with the woman but after she gave birth to their son he made it clear he didn't want to be part of a family and she ended up ending their on-off relationship in October 2020.
She then began to receive messages from anonymous social media accounts, which were abusive and threatening towards her and her son. One of the accounts, on Instagram, was later linked to Hanlon via his email and IP addresses.
As well as making shocking comments about his son and ex, he also posted a picture of the woman with a crude drawling of a penis on her face along with insulting, derogatory remarks.
From another Instagram account, purporting to be someone else, he sent a message saying: "We know where you live and know your friends. Maybe the only way to hurt Robert is to hurt you and (the youngster).
"Have you heard of an acid attack? All we are saying is keep an eye out, you never know what might happen to you or (the child)."
The court heard he also made 484 calls to an 0800 business number at a shop belonging to the woman's dad, where she also worked. There were also 73 calls to the woman in eleven days and more than 100 calls to her old number between March and June 2021.
When she answered, it would be silent and he would sometimes leave voicemails. In one, he said: "Thanks to Google maps we know where your work." He then made reference to an acid attack again, adding: "I hope you can protect (the child) and yourself. We hope by hurting you we can hurt Robert."
In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "This harassment and the threats have caused a great deal of stress and anxiety and the comments towards his son are very hurtful.
"All I want to do is move on without the harassment. I feel scared to go out, even with my son.
"I fear going to work because of the calls and I won't be able to serve customers properly."
Her dad went into the witness box to read his victim impact statement and made reference to a picture he said Hanlon sent showing his son with his eyes gouged out. He added: "Twice you threatened him and my daughter with an acid attack.
"You caused endless sleepless nights because my wife and I worried for the safety of our daughter and grandson as you kept the barrage of abuse and threats up.
"You tried to destroy my daughter through the cruellest bullying and wishing your own son dead. In the years to come he will be able to read about what you have done online because it will never go away and read the posts where you wish him disfigurement with acid.
"We will explain to your son that bullies never win. You need help in accepting you are a controlling bully and wanting to destroy everything around you."
Hanlon, 24, of Blyth, has five previous convictions, including for actual bodily harm on another woman in April 2021, common assault, criminal damage and public disorder.
Stuart Graham, defending, said: "He accepts fully how horrendously he has behaved. He is deeply remorseful for what he has put everyone through and he makes no excuses at all."
Mr Graham said the woman had stopped Hanlon seeing his son but she disputes that. He added: "He doesn't blame her for that. He behaved like a stupid, vindictive, violent and nasty young man."
Hanlon's commanding officer in an anti-tank platoon provided a glowing reference and attended court. He gave evidence to the judge in private about Hanlon's work in the army.
He pleaded guilty to stalking the woman, causing fear of violence, between March and July 2021 and harassing her dad through his business. Judge Tim Gittins sentenced him to 10 months suspended for 18 months with 80 hours unpaid work and £1,200 costs. He must also do a "building better relationships programme" and was given an indefinite restraining order.
The judge told him the threats to disfigure his ex and son were "abhorrent" and added: "It was nothing less than despicable and disgraceful controlling by a bully."
Judge Gittins added that he had intended to lock him up immediately until hearing from his commanding officer about his "specialist high training" for an upcoming deployment and how he could not be replaced for the mission
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