A STALKER who continued to follow and message his ex has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

Jacob Price Evans admitted assaulting his ex-girlfriend on February 17 and stalking her between February 15 and March 5 when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

The 23-year-old had previously received cautions after two reports of common assault and one of harassment had been made against him by the victim, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

The pair had separated in September after he threw car keys at her and accused her of sleeping with another man during an argument.

But Price Evans continued to send her messages and visit her home, letting himself in through an open door on February 17 and grabbing her, bending her fingers back in an attempt to wrench her mobile phone from her.

The victim tried to cut all contact with him and blocked him from her phone and social media, but he continued making "innumerable" calls and leaving long voicemail messages from other numbers, and turning up at her home to bang on her windows.

The court heard the victim had visited Hereford Police Station on March 1 to report that he had again turned up at her home.

Price Evans followed her there, shouted at her from the car park, and called her while she was talking to police, before again calling her on March 5.

Mr Hambling said Price Evans had been subject to bail conditions on many of the occasions and had breached these.

ALSO READ: 

Chris Read, for Price Evans, said there was a very different side to the story, and that Price Evans had thrown his car keys at his own car, not his victim.

"He was cautioned in November as she reported he was still messaging her, but messages on their phones showed they were messaging each other and telling each other how much they loved each other," Mr Read said.

"She was still seeing him and engaging in a relationship with him. The relationship is reported to have broken down, but has it really? Is it any surprise that he does not know what the hell is going on?"

The court heard Price Evans accepted trying to grab her phone to see what it contained and that he may have caused her fingers to be bent.

Price Evans, of Brunley Close, Whitney-on-Wye, was handed an 18-month community order with 120 hours of unpaid work and a two-year restraining order. He must also pay costs of £135 and a £95 victim surcharge.