A DISGRUNTLED tenant sent text messages about the Cumbria shootings to his landlord because his home was said to be falling apart, a court heard.

David Stewart Bear, 50, referred to Derrick Bird, a gun and choosing selected targets who weren’t ‘innocent’ to die, because the property was letting in water and he had had enough.

Bear had ‘quite a lengthy record’ and his last four previous convictions were for threatening words or behaviour, Burnley magistrates were told.

Bear, of Southfield Street, Nelson, admitted sending by the public communication network an offensive or threatening message.

He was bailed until July 5, for a pre-sentence report.

David Hartley, prosecuting, said on June 15, the landlord received four text messages from the defendant, which had distressing contents.

Bear, who was arrested, told police he would not like to have received messages of this type. He apologised.

Lynne Slater, for Bear, said he had been pushed to the very limits of his patience and had turned to drink.

His home was in such a poor state of repair it had been causing problems for his health. He had been in a car accident in 2000, could not work because of back problems and was on anti-depressants and painkillers.

Mrs Slater said for the past two years, the defendant had had to contend with the property having ‘rampant damp’.

When it rained, water ran down the walls, the wiring was unsafe and the pointing was also not safe.

His landlord had refused to take any action and had failed to meet deadlines set by Pendle Council.

The final straw was when he was alerted by the mortgage company that the landlord was in arrears.

The solicitor continued: “He was a man that was pushed to the very limits of his patience.

"He is not a man likely to go out in the streets and take pot shots at people."