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A local boxer, who retired from the sport last year, has been sent to jail for threatening to kill his wife in a string of abusive voice messages.
Bradley Watson, 30, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court and was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison.
On 9 October Guernsey Police were called to the victim’s home after being alerted to an alleged domestic incident.
Officers searched the victim’s phone and found several threatening voice messages from her husband, Watson. The couple had split at the time of the messages.
Pictured: Watson used to be a pro boxer, retiring from the sport last year.
The abusive voice messages were played out in court and included direct threats to kill her, including:
- "I’m gonna batter the f** out of you"
- "I’m gonna kill you, you f***ing slag"
- "I’m gonna break your face"
Watson had left the property before police arrived, but was found and arrested two days later.
Watson refused to give the passcode to his phone even after a Royal Court order. He was therefore also sentenced for ‘failing to disclose information’ to the relevant authorities.
Defence Advocate Phoebe Cobb stressed that the verbal attack wasn’t pre-meditated and Watson was struggling to control his emotions following an earlier argument.
Watson appeared from custody after having broken various bail restrictions.
Pictured: Watson will spend Christmas in Les Nicolles prison.
In a role reversal, it was Judge Graeme McKerrell who delivered the knockout blow, sending Watson back to prison.
"Behind your public image you are a bully," he said.
He was sentenced to 14 weeks in Les Nicolles Prison, and given a 18-month probation order with effect from 10 December.
The disgraced athlete announced his retirement last year, after being beaten in his final career bout in London. He is currently banned from the sport after testing positive for a banned substance in 2019.
Pictured top: Watson was sentenced in Guernsey's Magistrate's Court.
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