A SERIAL offender who threatened to kill his sister by putting a screwdriver through her head has been jailed for nine months.

Lee Pullen, of Saxton Road, Abingdon, admitted threatening to kill Mandy Cobb on February 3, last year and perverting the course of justice between March 9 and March 19.

On Tuesday, Oxford Crown Court heard Ms Cobb phoned Pullen, 33, to tell him he would be late for his curfew.

James Marsland, prosecuting, said this angered Pullen, who immediately “took her to task” and threatened to stab her.

Later the same day, Pullen was at his mother Cheryl Barrett’s house when Ms Cobb phoned to find out what was going on and heard intermittent threats.

He said Ms Cobb was later told Pullen had again threatened to stab her and also to put a screwdriver through her head.

Mr Marsland said: “This was of particular resonance to Ms Cobb because he had hurt her with a screwdriver in the past.”

The prosecutor said both threats were made in the presence of Ms Cobb’s daughter, who was particularly distressed.

The court heard Pullen later perverted the course of justice by offering Ms Cobb £250 to withdraw her allegations.

Lucy Ffrench, defending, said Pullen previously had a problem with heroin and crack cocaine but had not used either drug for at least two years.

Judge Ian Pringle told Pullen, who had 34 previous convictions, he accepted his apology was genuine but that his actions were “totally unacceptable.”