A FORMER roofer avoided jail after threatening to burn down the home of his girlfriend's mother.

Aaron Walsh, 27, appeared at Mold Crown Court where he admitted making threats against Sian Howell of Grosvenor Gardens in Wrexham on January 6.

During that time Walsh was in a relationship with Mrs Howell's daughter Lowri - with whom he has a young child, prosecutor Nicholas Williams told the court.

On the day of the offence the couple had been living at the home of Mrs Howell, who awoke at about 4am to hear them arguing and then heard a door slam.

She went downstairs to find her front door damaged and reported it to the police.

Later that afternoon Walsh phoned her and demanded to speak to Lowri, but she refused as her daughter was asleep, the court heard.

She informed him she had reported the damaged door to the police.

Walsh then made the threats, Mr Williams said, warning that she should "watch her back 24/7" and that he was going to burn down her home and her car.

Mr Williams said: "She was really worried. When he made those threats she had her eight-year-old granddaughter in the house as well as her son and daughter."

He added: "I understand he is still in a relationship with Mrs Howell's daughter and that there are some complex family dynamics."

In a victim statement read out to the court Mrs Howell said she had difficulty sleeping because of the threats and that after contacting North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, fire officers made her house safe with alarms.

David Birrell, defending, told the court: "Emotions were running high. He regrets saying [the threats] and had no intention of carrying them out.

"He accepts they were made to be taken seriously, and they were taken seriously.

"He is now living in Liverpool with his partner and their daughter and they are expecting another child.

"He hopes to return to work as a roofer."

Judge Parry told Walsh: "You made serious threats and they were believed. The victim feared for a baby and for her two children.

"The level of fear is obvious because of the extensive steps taken by the victim to make her home safe."

The court heard Walsh, of Adam Close in Garston, Liverpool, was already the subject of a curfew order in relation to another offence.

Judge Niclas Parry handed him a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for a year - as well as a two month curfew order which, along with the order already in place, leaves him with a six month curfew order to serve.

Walsh also received a restraining order preventing him from going within 100 metres of Mrs Howell's home in Wrexham. He must also pay a surcharge of £115.