A tradesman who left his customer with a botched extension retaliated when she named and shamed him by threatening to “smash her whole house down”.

%image(14542998, type="article-full", alt="Kyle Muir appeared in Norwich magistrates' court for harassment charges against a former customer, but was sent to Norwich Crown Court for sentencing. Photo: Supplied")

Kyle Muir, 25, of Middleton Road, Gorleston, pleaded guilty to the harassment of that customer, Vicki Mileham, and her partner Asher Paniri when he appeared in Norwich Magistrates’ Court on October 28.

The court heard that between August 3-6, Muir contacted Mr Paniri’s workplace, left threatening texts and voicemails and released a malicious Facebook post calling him a paedophile.

Robyn Khan, prosecuting, said: “Mr Paniri had posted asking for a bricklayer to help out Ms Mileham, and in that Facebook post named Muir as one of those responsible for the incomplete work.

“The defendant commented saying he’d sold the business and that someone else had taken over, and sent Mr Paniri a message saying: ‘If you don’t take it down, I’ll come and stab you’.

%image(14354286, type="article-full", alt="The sagging roof of Vicki Mileham's botched extension, which was undulating back in March and eventually had to be torn down altogether. Photo: Vicki Mileham")

“He then put in a fake complaint at the victim’s work under an alias, and in a sweary voicemail said things would ‘only get worse’ for the victim.”

On August 4, Muir contacted Ms Mileham threatening to “smash her whole house down” after she set up a GoFundMe page in which he was named.

He also threatened to release a malicious Facebook post about her.

Ms Khan said: “Ms Mileham contracted Muir to do an extension on her house, and transferred £56,000 to his company before he left in December 2019.

%image(14524528, type="article-full", alt="Ms Mileham's "wonky wall", condemned by the building inspector. Photo: Vicki Mileham")

“She said because she had already invested the money, and couldn’t afford to hire anyone else, she went ahead with the work which was left in a poor condition, and has since had to be torn down.

“The victim was so scared by Muir’s threat that she called the police.”

At the same court appearance, Muir pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to a police car and a Nissan X with a metal pole on October 19, as well as an assault charge.

He also pleaded guilty to affray and the possession of an offensive weapon on the same date.

He said: “I clearly didn’t want to commit any of these offences and was crying out for help. I want to turn my life around and rehabilitate myself.”

But district judge, Shanta Deonarine, said she did not have sufficient powers to punish Muir, who appeared via video link from custody and was denied bail.

She said: “Here, I can only give you a maximum of nine months in prison, and I do not believe that is sufficient to deal with what you have done.”

His case was sent to Norwich Crown Court for sentencing.

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