A DIAMOND drilling operative from the Isle of Wight who bombarded his estranged wife with abusive WhatsApp messages, also targeting her new partner through them, claimed he acted as he did because he believed he had been cheated on.  

Samuel Dyer, of High Street, Ventnor, admitted sending offensive and menacing messages, by a public communication network, to his estranged wife, between September 1 last year and February 15.

He appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court, where he also admitted possessing an offensive weapon, namely a telescopic truncheon, at his former address, in Brickfield Close, Newport, on January 10.

The 30-year-old had been in a 12-year relationship with his now estranged wife.

In January, police were notified the victim had been sent a high number of messages from Dyer, the contents of which were "abusive and offensive", said Liz Miller, prosecuting.

She sent the police 26 screenshots of Dyer's messages, sent from his and his daughter's WhatsApp accounts.

Dyer, with no previous convictions, referred to his estranged wife as "pure scum" and "a disgusting human", and her partner as a "hideous thing you call a human being" and a rat — demanding she sign their divorce papers.

For Dyer, Amy Hosell said her client split up with his wife last year, then "went into self-destruct mode".

"He knows he shouldn't have sent those messages, but had tried to handle the situation he faced as well as he could," said Miss Hosell. 

Regarding the baton, Dyer claimed he found the weapon while walking home, and had every intention of handing it to the police.

Magistrates fined Dyer £576, with £85 costs and a £230 surcharge.