The father of a teenage boy killed by a gang of youths blamed the boy's grieving mother for his death.
Ian Nice trashed his former partner Laura Tansey's car, shouted abuse at her, shared an intimate image of her on WhatsApp and sent an image of her holding her son's hand in his coffin.
He sobbed from the dock on June 15 after Bolton Magistrates' Court heard the difficult details of his "nuclear fallout" with his ex, following the passing of their son Reece, Manchester Evening News reports.
The pair were in a relationship for 18 years and had two children, including Reece.
The Bolton teenager died after being stabbed six times by James White, 16, on May 4, 2021.
White was found guilty of murder and jailed for 15 years following a trial last autumn, while 16-year-old Mark Nuttall - who was also present - was sentenced to six years for manslaughter.
The Farnworth pair were named in February after court orders giving them anonymity were overturned, following applications made by the Manchester Evening News and the Bolton News.
The court heard Nice focused his anger on former partner Ms Tansey.
Prosecutor Richard Blackburn described how Nice targeted her three times over the course of a week in January - two months after their son's killers had been convicted.
He said: "These offences have been committed against a tragic background that their son, Reece, was murdered in 2021 and the defendant for some time has laid blame for that on the complainant, his former partner."
The court heard that on January 10, Ms Tansey was having breakfast with a friend in the café at Bolton town centre's Morrisons. She was spotted by Nice.
Mr Blackburn said Nice began to shout: "She was the one who killed our son Reece."
Ms Tansey was "particularly distressed" by Nice's comment, which was overheard by a security guard, who intervened.
The following day, Nice spotted Ms Tansey's Vauxhall Corsa parked up while she was visiting a friend.
Mr Blackburn told the court Ms Tansey found a white substance on her car, which caused damage to the paintwork and an indicator light. It led to a £2,000 repair bill.
Ms Tansey viewed CCTV footage from the area and identified Nice being close to the scene.
The court heard that on January 13, Nice changed his WhatsApp profile picture to an intimate image which Ms Tansey had previously shared with him while they were together.
Mr Blackburn said it meant anyone Nice messaged would be able to see the picture. Nice also contacted Ms Tansey directly by WhatsApp, sending an image of her holding her late son's hand in his coffin.
He was arrested the following day and questioned by police about the three incidents. Mr Blackburn told the court Nice admitted to police he poured 'conditioner' on Ms Tansey's car.
"He said he was very sorry for any damage he had caused and he would pay for the damage," Mr Blackburn added. "He said it was an act of stupidity and he had not meant to cause any damage."
Nice also told police he 'did not have permission from the complainant' to share the intimate image with others on WhatsApp, and that he recognised others could have seen the photograph.
"The defendant said he was not thinking right and his head was not right," Mr Blackburn said.
The court heard police asked Nice whether he believed his actions over the week had amounted to harassment, to which he replied 'yes'. Nice, of Holcombe Crescent, Kearsley, Bolton, pleaded guilty to using abusive words with intent to cause harassment.
He admitted criminal damage worth £2,000 to the Corsa; and disclosing a private sexual photograph at an earlier appearance.
The court heard the 45-year-old traffic management operative had struggled to work while on bail since January, due to conditions requiring him to be at home overnight.
He has a number of previous convictions. Nice was handed prison terms for assault in 2019; and robbery in 2008. Asked by magistrates if he had anything to say, he said: "I just want to say my apologies. It's been hard."
Nice is due to be sentenced on Wednesday, July 20, at Bolton Crown Court.
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