A CONTROLLING and violent thug flew into a jealous rage with his ex-partner – a year after they’d broken up - after snooping through text messages on her smartwatch.

Darren Clements grabbed his ex at her home in Helensburgh and threatened to harm himself if she didn’t agree to get back together with him.

But despite branding his behaviour “vile”, a judge spared the 30-year-old a prison sentence when he appeared in court last week.

Clements pleaded guilty to accessing her smartwatch and reading her messages without her permission, repeatedly shouting and swearing at her, and uttering abusive remarks and threats of violence.

He further admitted to seizing her by the arm to her injury and persistently contacting her through phone calls, voicemails, text messages and social media despite being instructed by her and the police to cease contact.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court, where Clements appeared for sentencing on June 27, was told the five-year relationship between the accused and his partner had ended in September 2021.

But in May 2022 he had a disagreement with her over the break-up and sent her a series of WhatsApp messages calling her a “w***re”, a “tart” and a “f*****g pathetic little w***e”.

The court then heard that on September 25 last year, Clements was at his ex’s home in Malcolm Place in Churchill and noticed her smartwatch on charge.

He opened it and read her text messages before demanding to know who the recipient was.

Clements’ victim ignored him, not realising he had been reading her messages.

But he then launched a series of terrifying threats, telling her “you’re no sleeping with anybody unless I am sleeping with you”, “I will make your life a f*****g hell” and “this is my family, no c*** else is going near you”.

The court heard Clements tried and failed to pull the woman’s mobile phone from her, and that he ignored her requests that he leave.

Instead Clements followed his victim to her bedroom, where he grabbed her left arm and said “you’re mine”.

The threats continued for another 30 minutes. When police eventually arrived they noticed the woman had bruising on her arm.

The court was told that Clements was arrested after presenting himself at Clydebank police station on October 5, but that he had a “flippant and disinterested attitude” towards the allegations against him.

Then, during a call with his ex on December 1, Clements suggested they should get back together – only for her to tell him she was pregnant.

At that Clements lost his temper again, ending the call before leaving the woman multiple messages and two voicemails.

After the procurator fiscal depute had finished giving the Crown’s account, Sheriff William Gallacher said: “This is utterly despicable and vile behaviour from an individual who thinks he is entitled, and thinks he has ownership, and treats the other person in his life with utter abuse and disdain.”

Clements’ solicitor said his client had suffered a family bereavement and hadn’t sought assistance in coping with his grief, suggesting that was a major contributor to how he had behaved towards his ex.

His lawyer said: “He is entirely disgusted by his behaviour. Although he doesn’t wish to use it as an excuse for his behaviour, he did struggle to cope with the loss, and the changes to his life.

“He does accept full responsibility. He deeply regrets his actions and demonstrates an understanding of the impact this has had on the complainer.

“Whilst he hasn’t taken any formal steps to manage his grief, he should have sought help. He struggled to cope and to accept that the relationship was over.”

Sheriff Gallacher told Clements: “Your behaviour, and your treatment of this young woman, was vile.

“You may have personal difficulties, but none of that excuses your behaviour. None of that excuses your attitude.

“It is very clear that the boundary between whether or not the offences are of such gravity that I am able to send you to prison has been crossed.

“You have very little in the way of criminal history and therefore, with hesitation, I am not going to send you to prison.”

Clements, of Cartha Crescent, Paisley, was placed on a community payback order with two years of social work supervision and was ordered to complete 225 hours of unpaid work.

A review of his progress on the order will be held in September.