A 31-year-old who threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend was yesterday jailed for two-and-a-half years.Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves said he hoped the sentence would serve as a warning to other potential abusers that “the highest authority of the land” would protect their victims.Kyle Smith had earlier pleaded guilty to sending threatening texts to 22-year-old Kendra Rogers, the mother of one of his children.The maximum penalty for the offence is seven years' imprisonment.Mr Justice Greaves gave the examples of George (Messy) Liburd and Jermaine Pearman two men jailed for life having murdered their former lovers.He said: “Men in domestic relationships or former relationships have committed gruesome murders in this country.“It would be reckless not to impose a prison sentence. That would indeed send a message to you and other men, as well and the victims of threats like this, that no one, even the highest authority of the land, will stand up and protect them. It could have serious repercussions and could lead to a breakdown and anarchy.”Prosecutor Geoffrey Faiella earlier told the court Smith saw Ms Rogers walking on Reid Street with a male friend on January 21, 2010.He road the pedal bike he was on towards her as if to run her over and verbally abused her.Later that day he threatened to slap her and cursed at her at Albuoy's Point the threatening text messages were sent the day after.Mr Faiella read the messages out in court: “You ain't seen psycho yet. You're gonna die today. Believe that. Keep thinking I'm playing. I'm really gonna stab the sh** out of you.”Threatening someone in writing is more serious than a verbal threat, the prosecutor told the court.Smith apologised for the texts, which he said were written “solely out of anger”.Wendall Smith, the assistant principal of West Pembroke Primary School where Smith worked as a custodian, and Shadricka Tacklyn, the mother of Smith's youngest child, both spoke of his good character.Meanwhile Smith's lawyer, Leonard Holder, described him as a “mild-mannered” man and not a violent person.Mr Justice Greaves disagreed.“The text speaks for itself; your client is a jealous man. That's the beautiful thing about today's technology, it traps all of us and it's locking us up,” he said.“When you threaten people's lives we must take it seriously and the penalty is jail.”He sentenced Smith to two-and-a-half-years in prison with two years' probation to follow.“Now you will be able to cool yourself down and learn a worthwhile lesson to not put yourself in trouble further,” Mr Justice Greaves added.A Ministry of Education spokeswoman offered no comment on “personnel” matters. The defendant was employed as a custodian at West Pembroke Primary School.