A MAN who told a woman he would burn her house down in front of her two-year-old grandson has been jailed.

Mordecai Sunrise, of no fixed abode, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court after admitting two charges of threatening to destroy or damage property, and one public order act offence.

The complainant in the case had known Sunrise for a number of years, and her mother had even let him stay with her for a while when he was homeless, said Andrew Kendall, prosecuting.

On October 25 last year, at around 9.30am, the complainant was walking into Monmouth with her two-year-old grandson.

Mr Kendall said Sunrise swore at the woman and said: "I’m going to burn your house down".

“She was horrified," he said.

South Wales Argus: Mordecai Sunrise threatened to burn down a woman's home in front of her two-year-old grandson. Picture: Gwent Police.Mordecai Sunrise threatened to burn down a woman's home in front of her two-year-old grandson. Picture: Gwent Police.

The public order offence related to when the complainant came across the defendant again outside a Coffee #1 shop on Monnow Street in Monmouth on November 8, and he verbally abused her.

On November 10, at about 10.30pm, “the defendant was shouting in the direction of the housing estate” that the complainant lived on, Mr Kendall said.

The court heard that Sunrise could often be heard shouting from the woods, but on this occasion he shouted ‘I’m going to burn you" and "you’re all going to die".

The complainant said this was so loud that she thought he was in her front garden, Mr Kendall told the court.

“She worries about the defendant,” he said. “She was struggling being woken up in the night.

“She said she has stopped walking her dog in the area as she is afraid she will bump in to the defendant.

“This is repeat offending against the same victim.”

Sunrise has five previous convictions for 12 offences.

“This is a very very troubled soul indeed,” said Joe Maloney, in mitigation.

“Efforts were made to get a psychiatric assessment in place but there was an issue over getting Mr Sunrise to attend.”

“There’s no doubt that this man has considerable health problems,” said Mr Maloney, adding that Sunrise has had heart problems, multiple strokes and was “in a very, very poor state”.

“I’m told that, upon his release, he will resume his lifestyle living in the wild in the woods outside Monmouth,” he said.

Recorder Alun Eynon-Evans sentenced Sunrise to 29 weeks imprisonment for each charge of threatening to destroy property – running concurrently. There was no separate penalty for the public order offence.