Woman jailed for threatening to kill her husband

Melissa Abolina pleaded guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour at Lincoln Crown Court

A Lincolnshire woman has been jailed for 72 weeks after making repeated threats to kill her husband.

Melissa Abolina, 27, of St Andrews Street, Lincoln admitted controlling and coercive behaviour towards her partner and a second charge of malicious communication towards a former neighbour.

Lincoln Crown Court heard the conduct began after the couple moved in together during 2023.

Prosecutor David Allan told the court that Abolina bit her husband on the cheek during their honeymoon in Cyprus causing him to lock himself in the bathroom.

Melissa Abolina was jailed for 72 weeks at Lincoln Crown Court

"This is a case where there was fear of violence on many occasions," Mr Allan said,

He said that Abolina told her husband: "I will kill you in your sleep if you don't do what I want."

She also pushed him in front of traffic outside Lincoln railway station.

An audio recording of threats made by Abolina during a conversation with her husband was played to the court.

She was heard saying: "I will kill you one day, that is what I am planning to do.

"I don't want you alive, I don't like you."

Mr Allan said Abolina posted her husband's name on Facebook alongside the words RIP.

She also made further false allegations about her husband on Facebook and contacted his employer.

An impact statement from the victim described how he was forced to move, adding: "I did not know what she was capable of and was living in fear."

The court heard that Abolina also posted a letter through the door of a former neighbour in Lincoln.

It said: "I will kill your dog and kick your doors in," Mr Allan told the court.

"You will burn in your flat and all your family are going to hell."

That victim was left in fear of opening her front door, Mr Allan added.

Passing sentence, Judge Philip Head said he was willing to accept that Abolina's responsibility was substantially reduced by her own mental difficulties.

However, he said much of her conduct was designed to maximise fear in her husband.

"It was clearly persistent and prolonged," Judge Head said.

In addition to her custodial sentence, Abolina has been banned from contacting her husband and ex-neighbour for five years.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.