Man stopped at gunpoint by police was driving to Hawke's Bay to kill his ex-partner

The man, who has name suppression, sent a tsunami of threatening and explicitly violent text messages to his partner over a period of time in 2017. Photo / File

A man who was intercepted by police when he was travelling to Hawke's Bay with the intent of killing his ex-partner has been sentenced to six years in jail with a minimum parole of three years and eight months.

The man, who has name suppression, sent a tsunami of threatening and explicitly violent text messages to his partner over a period of time in 2017.

Despite his ex-partner's multiple efforts to block any contact, he created several Facebook profiles to continue contacting her via social media.

"Ask me how the weather is in Auckland," he said to her before she called the police.

Police and the armed offenders squad began to monitor him as he made his way down from Auckland and stopped him in Eskdale, outside Napier.

Police stopped his van at gunpoint and found a crossbow, a machete, and a knife as well as petrol and cable ties.

He was sentenced on 11 charges, including threatening grievous bodily harm, threats to kill and possession of a weapon, by Judge Peter Rollo in the Napier District Court on Friday afternoon.

Prosecutor Steve Manning said the man's offending of the "highest level" and there was an "absolute willingness" to cause fear.

The man's partner's terrifying ordeal began in 2017 after he started to hound her with a wave of text messages, emails, social media messages and phone calls.

"Run as much as you can, you can't run forever," he wrote.

He also sent her explicit and horrifying images along with violent videos downloaded via the internet.

At one stage he told her he had gained access to succinylcholine - a medication used to cause short term paralysis.

Judge Rollo said his actions were "pre-meditated" as a result of "anger, jealousy and revenge".

The man denied that the weapons found inside his van were intended to harm her. Police also discovered several documents on a USB drive. The content could only be described as "bone chilling" according to the summary of facts.

The man addressed Judge Rollo telling him to "skip to the end so we can get to the appeal".

He also said his words were being twisted.

"You're a dirty corrupt judge and you know it," he said.

Judge Rollo urged the man to re-think his position and under-go health programmes which might provide a positive outcome. He also ordered the destruction of the weapons found in the vehicle.

"See you in appeal," was the response.