Hartlepool Army veteran made terrifying threat to kill brother and turned up at Guisborough home with lock knife

Anguished William Hudson, who commanded hundreds of men as a staff sergeant with the Royal Tank Regiment, made the threat in a WhatsApp message he sent to his niece and father.

Teesside Crown Court heard Hudson, 39, had a grievance with his brother at the time over a sensitive matter and his mental health was made worse by abusing crack cocaine.

As well as threatening to kill his brother on July 10, Hudson also threatened to kill himself in the messages.

Prosecutor Paul Newcombe said: “He said ‘I can’t live so before I do myself in’ – referring to his brother – ‘I’m going to kill him in the most painful way I can.

“’I’m in Leeds now but I’m heading back to Guisborough and when I find him, which I will, it’s game over for us both.”

In a follow up message Hudson sent a picture of a Google Maps image saying: “Am I warm?” indicating he was getting close to the address.

Hudson told the judge he knew his brother was not in at the time.

But the court heard his brother’s wife was and that she was distressed when Hudson arrived.

The police attended and Hudson immediately threw down the knife he was carrying.

He was also charged with assaulting an emergency worker by pulling his arm away when the officer tried to put handcuffs on him.

He admitted the offence along with threats to kill and possessing a knife in public.

The court heard Hudson, of Salisbury Place, Hartlepool, had a distinguished military career with tours of Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia.

But he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder due to seeing several of his friends killed and many others injured.

Nigel Soppitt, mitigating, said Hudson went on a “rapid downward spiral” but has started to get help from military charities and is now reconciled with his family.

The judge, Recorder Andrew Dallas, told Hudson the offences must have been terrifying but that his family’s support had saved him from prison.

He received an eight-month prison sentence, which was suspended for 18 months, with 150 hours of unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement hours.