A DAD-of-three has admitted sending a death threat to an Oxford judge after he lost a bitter custody battle over his children.

Jobless Anthony Stokes, 39, of Winklebury, Basingstoke, told circuit judge Paul Clark he would "slit his throat" in a letter sent to Oxford Crown Court.

The judge had previously ruled that two of Stokes's three young daughters should be handed to his ex-wife after an eight-year custody battle.

City magistrates heard that Judge Clark, who sits regularly in criminal cases in Oxford, ruled on a residence dispute involving the custody of Stokes's daughters, aged 15, 13 and eight, at Oxford County Court last year.

The eldest and youngest were living with Stokes but the judge's decision handed them back to his ex-wife, who lives in Chilton, near Didcot, the court heard.

On December 18, the judge received an anonymous letter, which came in a distinctive envelope and had a Basingstoke postmark. In a handwritten note on A4 paper, the writer threatened to slit the judge's throat, the court heard.

Shan Saunders, prosecuting, said: "The letter said, 'I'll bide my time, but watch your back till you die'."

She added: "The judge took it very seriously."

Detectives launched an investigation after the judge handed the letter to the police liaison officer at the crown court.

In January, officers swooped on Stokes's home. They found several similar envelopes and had a handwriting expert analyse the writing, the court heard.

Stokes, who had a history of "volatile behaviour", admitted threatening to kill the judge. He will be sentenced at the crown court on date yet to be confirmed.

The court was told Stokes now has legal custody of his eldest child and the youngest lives with him unofficially.

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