Sadistic man killed partner's rabbits and set her house on fire during jealous rage

A sadistic man who killed his partner's two pet rabbits by wringing their necks and set fire to her house because he thought she was having an affair has been .

William Denham, 44, , who had been on a night out with work colleagues, with messages and video calls threatening to kill her rabbits. He also threatened to burn her house down and when she didn't respond because she hadn't seen the messages, he sent her pictures of the dead rabbits in their cage.

heard that Denham, who thought the victim was having an affair, said: "You and your boyfriend are next." He then messaged her to say he had buried the rabbits in the garden and sent her a video showing a burning curtain in her house.

When the victim got home she had tried to put out the fire with water in a glass jug but Denham had hit her over the head with the jug and repeatedly punched her in the head. She had managed to flee from the house and hid behind a bush before going to a neighbour's house.

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Stephen Mather, prosecuting, said that on the night of the offences in March the victim had invited Denham to join her on a night out with her work colleagues. However during the evening his mood had become darker the more he drank and he accused her of seeing one of her work colleagues.

She refused to go home with him and he had subsequently bombarded her with threatening messages and video calls which she didn't see until she was in her way home. Judge Emma Peters described Denham's actions as "horrific, depraved, sadistic and cruel" and said they were motivated by sexual jealousy.

Denham, of Colchester, admitted arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, unlawful wounding and causing unnecessary suffering to two rabbits. The judge said he was a dangerous offender and in addition to a jail sentence of four and a half years, she passed an extended licence period of four years.

She also banned him from contacting his ex-partner indefinitely and disqualified him from owning any animals indefinitely. Steven Dyble, for Denham, accepted that his client’s behaviour had been "wicked and vindictive".

He said he had wrongly suspected his partner was showing an interest in a work colleague. He said that Denham had been inadequate at dealing with the usual ups and downs of relationships and was "extremely ashamed" of his actions.