A BLACKMAILER threatened his Bolton mum that he would kidnap and maim her grandson unless she paid him money, a court heard.

Robert Purcell told his mother, Edna, he would abduct the boy and ‘cut off his body parts’, prosecutors say.

The 25-year-old, who had been making cash demands from his mother for some time, also threatened to petrol-bomb her house. He repeatedly texted her to make his demands.

Purcell is starting a 26-month jail sentence after a judge at Bolton Crown Court said he had caused “serious alarm” following a string of offences.

Passing sentence, Judge Graeme Smith, said he “shouts his mouth off without thinking of the consequences” and makes “nasty” threats to people.

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Prosecutor Mark Kellet told an earlier hearing that Purcell had also sent threatening messages to someone he used to do odd jobs for, Steven Hoskins, who was in remission from cancer, and his then-landlord, Adrian Esmat.

Judge Smith said: “The victims took those threats seriously, whether or not you intended them in that way, and it caused them in some cases very considerable alarm, distress and inconvenience.

The judge assessed Purcell to be at high risk of reoffending and of causing serious harm.

Judge Smith added: “You are also capable of using violence if you want to because you have antecedent history of not only making threats but of inflicting violence.

“You are still seeking to a certain extent to justify your actions and to blame your victims for them.”

The judge assessed Purcell to be a high risk of reoffending and of causing serious harm.

Purcell, of Botanic Road, Southport, had admitted blackmail, two malicious communications charges, racially aggravated harassment, criminal damage and assaulting an emergency worker.

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Judge Smith briefly described a “nasty and vindictive” attack on a police officer

The court heard he coughed in the direction of a police officer while saying “I’ve got Covid and corona”.

Purcell also racially abused an Asian police officer after his blackmail arrest, the court was told.

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