A man has been jailed for after threatening to kill a businessman and his family during a bitter dispute over money.

Andrew Pinder sent threatening text and voicemail messages to Alistair Cook and his partner Linda Sanderson over a two-month period after he agreed to rent a crab-processing factory and some equipment in Bridlington last year.

The 51-year-old, of Kingsgate in Bridlington, said he had sent Mr Cook more than £20,000 and wanted the money back after their deal fell through.

He was jailed for 12 months and given a restraining order at York Crown Court after pleading guilty to two counts of making threats to kill and one count of sending malicious communications.

Andrew Pinder threatened to kill a businessmen and his family in Bridlington last year

During the dispute, he told the couple he would “burn you out of your home” and “chop your heads off” if they did not pay him back.

Another message read: “F*** your solicitors and f*** the police. I will kill you over the £20,000.”

Pinder was arrested in April this year when he confronted Ms Sanderson, repeated some of the threats he had made and demanded money.

During the interview, police asked him if he intended to carry out the threats and he said “that is exactly what would happen” if he did not get his money back.

Mr Cook told the court that Pinder was “attempting to extort £20,000 out of me” and that he did not owe the man anything.

“I’ve never met a person so disturbed, with such a Jekyll and Hyde personality,” he added.

Ms Sanderson said Pinder “has terrorised myself and my family every possible way for months”.

“This person has invaded my privacy – my world,” she added. “I’m back to looking over my shoulder and not going anywhere alone.”

Laura Addy, representing Pinder, said he accepts that his actions were “particularly unpleasant” and “the only person he can blame is himself”.

She said his behaviour was “an extreme reaction” to stress because he was “financially crippled” after paying Mr Cook more than £20,000 to rent the factory and investing in a vehicle.

Pinder, who cares for his disabled son, was struggling to keep the family business afloat after both of his parents died, she added.

“I know that there are bank statements that show that transfer. In all the correspondence – albeit in a rather distasteful way – the defendant is asking for his £20,000 back,” she said.

After sentencing Pinder to 12 months imprisonment, Judge Simon Hickey said it “would not be appropriate” to suspend that sentence.

“I think you are still a risk or a danger to these two people,” he added.

'Disturbed' man jailed for threatening to 'chop the heads off' Yorkshire businessmen during dispute over money