HE terrified his estranged wife by describing gun-crazed murderer Michael Ryan as his hero and threatening to shoot her.

Bodybuilder John Parker has now been banned from contacting his wife Linda, 37, after sending her a chilling text message on her mobile phone last year.

The message referred to Ryan, who killed 16 people - including his own mother - during a shooting spree in Hungerford, Berkshire, in 1987.

Parker threatened to shoot his wife and any boyfriend of hers that visited her home at Reynolds Dale in Ashurst Bridge, Totton. The message said: "I've got a gun with the type of bullets that will go through his head and your head."

Parker, 40, of Bartram Road, Totton, admitted harassing Mrs Parker when he appeared at New Forest Magistrates' Court on March 27. The case was adjourned until this week for reports.

David Fosler, prosecuting, said: "The defendant sent his wife a message saying Michael Ryan is my hero'. This was not simply the ranting of a spurned husband. It was a reference to the man who took a gun out in Hungerford and killed a number of people."

Mr Fosler said Mrs Parker received a second threatening text message a few months later.

He added: "She was caught up in a great deal of anxiety. Initially she didn't want to involve the police but became so concerned that she felt she had no option. Parker needs to be sent a message by this court. Behaviour such as this cannot be tolerated, no matter how hurt he feels."

Alan Stafford, in mitigation, said: "When a marriage breaks down things are said in the heat of the moment, especially when they're induced by alcohol, that in the cold light of day don't look as good as they might.

"But messages about Michael Ryan are quite awful and he accepts that himself."

Mr Stafford said Parker's shopfitting business had suffered as a result of the original bail conditions that had been imposed on the defendant.

He added: "The business imploded because he wasn't allowed to be there to run it. Someone who was well placed financially has now fallen on hard times. He has been significantly punished already."

Mr Stafford said Parker and his wife had now begun divorce proceedings.

The defendant was handed an open-ended restraining order banning him from contacting his wife, except through solicitors.

He was also told to complete 225 hours of unpaid work. After the case Parker said he was drunk when he sent the message referring to Ryan.

He added: "I took the view that Linda and her friends had messed up my life and I was going to mess up theirs.

"But Ryan did a lot of serious wrong and I regret saying what I did - there was no need for it."

At the previous hearing the prosecution conceded that Parker did not have access to any firearms. His solicitor on that occasion, Ian Newport, described the Michael Ryan reference as a "throwaway remark".

Mrs Parker was unavailable for comment.