A WOMAN and her brother-in-law were threatened by her boyfriend at a time when the couple were separated and he was facing charges of assaulting her.

But Blackburn magistrates heard the charges had been dropped, the couple were now reconciled and Barnes recognised the importance of getting on with her relatives.

Barnes, 27, of Manxman Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour. He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £50 costs. A charge of making a threat to kill was withdrawn.

Caroline Jones, prosecuting, said Phillip Kernott had bumped into Barnes at a time when the defendant was separated from his long-term partner, Lorraine Buck, who is Mr Kernott's sister-in-law. Barnes told him to get her to drop the assault charge against him and threatened: "If she doesn't drop it I am going to stab you in the throat."

As he walked away Barnes shouted: "I am going to get a crew up and I'm going to wreck your house and set fire to it.

"Mr Kernott took these threats seriously because he knew Barnes to be a violent person," said Mrs Jones.

Paul Wood, defending, said the charge of assaulting Miss Buck had been discontinued and they are again living together.

"At the time of this offence there was a quite hostile feeling between my client and members of his partner's family but he now appreciates the importance of getting on with them," said Mr Wood.