A DISGRUNTLED buyer threatened to kneecap a horse trader in front of his wife and children as he sent menacing phone messages on three successive days.

Carlisle Crown Court heard the north Cumbria businessman had arranged in February, 2021, to sell an animal for the agreed price of £4,000.

That sum was paid in instalments by 31-year-old buyer Lee Concannon, he having apparently been satisfied with frequent condition updates in the form of videos, pictures and health bulletins.

Concannon collected the horse in late April that year but then sought to claim the animal was lame and spoke of vet bills that were going to be paid.

“(The seller) said he would only enter into discussions following evidence from a medical examination,” said prosecutor Brendan Burke. “The defendant then became abusive.”

Messages were sent from an unknown number on three successive days.

On June 7, 2021, one said “pay £2,000” or, Mr Burke told the court of the victim, “he would be kneecapped in front of his wife and children”.

The next day, he received a picture of a knife and hammer with the word “Thursday” written.

And on June 9 there was further criminal contact. The man was sent a message which read “pay £2,000 by 11am tomorrow” “or he, the defendant, was coming around”.

The matter was reported to police. Concannon, a man of previous good character from Elgin Terrace, Hamilton, later admitted three offences of blackmail when brought to court.

Mr Burke summarised a moving impact statement in which the victim told how the first six or seven months were “very difficult”.

“He talks of a great deal of stress, anxiety and sleeplessness at the time of the threats,” he said.

That had been “amplified” by the effect of caring for a grandfather who had died on the third day of Concannon’s offending.

“He said his head was all over the place,” said Mr Burke. “He accepts it is some time since the threats were made. They’ve had such a profound effect he is still shaken up.”

These threats had brought on skin condition psoriasis and there was evidence of that being permanent. “It has destroyed part of his friendship network. There were friends mutual to him and the defendant,” added Mr Burke.

“He has had to avoid certain events and sales where he believed the defendant may be present.”

A business which had experienced a “substantial” drop in sales had since been reconstructed to allow more working from home and had latterly returned to previous levels.

But the sentencing hearing stalled after Concannon’s lawyer, Andrew Gurney, told the court his instructions were the horse was not sold in the agreed condition. There was evidence, said Mr Gurney, of the animal being “diagnosed with arthritis and not being able to bear weight”.

That might have provided some justification for Concannon’s contact with the seller, although not the threats he had made.

Judge Richard Archer adjourned the case for evidence to be produced.

Concannon was bailed and is due back at the crown court on June 16. “You are to be sentenced for serious offences and it is important the court who sentences you does so on the correct basis,” said the judge.