Teenager Saved By Facebook Chat Group After Boyfriend Told Her He Would Exterminate Her With A Gun

A teenager whose boyfriend was threatening to kill her was saved by friends after barricading herself in the bathroom and posting terrified selfies on Facebook.

Joshua Knight, 19, warned Amy Wilson, 18, 'I don't want to hurt you, but I'm going to hurt you' before pointing a BB gun, which she believed was real, at her.

The victim was too scared to ring police in case Knight overheard, so she shut herself in the bathroom and took several pictures of her tearful face on her phone.

She then posted the shocking images on a Facebook chat group, writing: "I'm in a legit hostage situation" and "This is an actual emergency".

Amy's horrified friends rang the police and Knight - who has no criminal record and has recently been offered a university place - was arrested.

He was later convicted at a Newcastle-upon-Tyne court of having a BB gun with the intention of causing fear of violence.

Speaking after the court case, Amy, who is an apprentice at a school for children with special needs in Hebburn, South Tyneside, said: "I had no idea where this had come from.

"I was absolutely terrified, I thought he was going to kill me.

"He just told me to get in the bathroom because he was getting agitated and saying he was going to hurt me.

"When he was banging on the door it was so scary. I even thought about trying to get out of the window but it was too high.

"I told my three closest friends what was happening on Facebook chat.

"I was scared to ring the police in case Josh heard and tried to smash his way into the bathroom.

"I was crying and my fingers were shaking so much that I couldn't type and my messages weren't making any sense.
"When my friends eventually understood they thought I was joking so I sent them the photos to show them I was serious."

Newcastle Crown Court heard how Knight snapped after inviting Amy, from Hebburn, to spend the night at his home while his parents were away in August last year.

At the time, the pair had been seeing each other for four months.

While Amy was issuing her desperate plea for help on the social networking website, Knight was banging on the bathroom door threatening to kill her, the court was told.

When police arrived they found a collection of weapons including the gun, two hammers, a kitchen knife and a baseball bat outside the bathroom door.

The court heard that Amy was 'hysterical, absolutely terrified, suffering from shock' when officers got there.

Judge Stephen Earl told Knight his behaviour that night was 'bizarre' and added: "The fear that was felt by your then partner in relation to that evening in question must have been horrifying."

Knight, from Sunderland, was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements, £800 costs and a restraining order to keep away from Amy.

The court heard the teen has never been in trouble before and experts 

concluded his behaviour that night could be linked to autism spectrum disorder.

In a series of references from respected members of the community, as well as his own mum and dad, Knight was described as a 'kind and gentle' character with a history of good, respectful behaviour.

Anne Richardson, prosecuting, told the court that Knight's behaviour suddenly started to change after the couple had been drinking and watched the film Sin City at his home.

He then made the sinister threat about hurting his girlfriend and went upstairs.

Amy followed a short time later, to check if he was all right, the court heard.

Miss Richardson told the court: "She got to the top of the stairs.

He was about two meters away, with what she thought was a gun.

"She thought it was real and it was pointing at her.

"She ran into the bathroom and locked the door. She dragged shelving against the door to barricade herself in. "He started banging, saying if she came out he was gong to kill her."

The court heard the victim was so scared she started vomiting in the bathroom before turning to social media in a desperate cry for help.

By then Knight was warning her not come out of the bathroom, even if he told her to.

Miss Richardson said: "She went on Facebook and began group chat with three of her friends.

mirror.co.uk cullage.

*Saved by facebook!...What a horrible experience,the fear on her face says it all.