A HEREFORD man has been handed a restraining order against a woman who he constantly harassed.

Thomas Wood, aged 32, of Greyfriars Avenue, pleaded guilty to one count of harassment without violence when he appeared at Hereford Magistrates Court last month.

This included making unwanted contact via social media platforms, threatening to kill himself, making unwanted visits to her address, calling her repeatedly, and refusing to follow police instructions to leave her alone. 

"He was told on multiple occasions to stop messaging her," said prosecuting solicitor, Eleanor Peart.

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The harassment took place between February 1 and February 14.

"He is somebody who thought he was building a relationship," said defence solicitor, George Cousins.

"Valentine's Day is an emotive time. When he went to the house on that day, he found out she had a new boyfriend. 

"He moves away from the house but later makes a number of calls.

"The day before [February 13] she texted him asking him for rent which he duly obliged, so it wasn't entirely one-sided. 

"He accepts he shouldn't have done what he did but he hasn't been in trouble for a long time."

Wood was handed a 12-month restraining order and fined £169. He also has to pay court costs of £135 and a £69 government victim surcharge respectively.