A Douglas woman who sent threatening Facebook messages has been fined £400 after admitting misusing a public communications network.

Melanie Anne Freeland told the victim: ‘I’m going to kill you, you’re dead.’

Deputy High Bailiff James Brooks also ordered the 42-year-old to pay £50 prosecution costs.

Prosecuting advocate Roger Kane told the court that Freeland had initially contacted the complainant by calling her via Facebook on July 3.

During the call, she told her: ‘I’m going to kill you, you’re dead.

The woman was said to have borrowed money from Freeland’s ex-partner.

She then sent Freeland a message on Facebook, trying to explain the situation.

However, Freeland replied with abusive messages, saying: ‘Trollop. You’re getting it regardless. You’re dead, you little sl*g.’

Screenshots of the messages were passed to the police and Freeland was subsequently arrested.

During an interview at police headquarters, she admitted the offence.

Defence advocate Louise Cooil asked for credit to be given for her client’s admissions to the police.

Ms Cooil said that Freeland had ongoing issues obtaining child maintenance from her ex-partner, so when she had heard he had been giving money to the other woman she had become annoyed.

The advocate said that the offence had occurred in July and there had been no further communication between the two women, so it could be treated as a one-off.

Deputy High Bailiff Mr Brooks told Freeland, who lives at Hillside Avenue: ‘Having heard what you said and wrote, I don’t doubt you wouldn’t have done any of these things.

‘But it would have been frightening.

‘People say things in the heat of the moment that they don’t mean, but the person on the other end doesn’t know that.’

Freeland will pay the fine and costs at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.