A SPURNED lover who bombarded his former girlfriend with 40 text messages and more than 100 calls in just a week has been jailed for 10 months.

Salisbury Crown Court heard on Friday that Lee Murray, 25, was issued with a restraining order on August 16 after his former partner complained of harassment, but sent her 25 messages over the next four days.

Rachel Marshall, prosecuting, said the relationship had ended in March due to domestic abuse but that Murray, who has two previous convictions for harassment, had refused to leave her alone.

“Despite everything that had happened, he still appeared to have a mental block that the relationship was over and that the victim did not want any resumption,” said Ms Marshall.

Murray initially denied contacting his former girlfriend, claiming someone had taken his phone. He changed his plea to guilty at a court hearing on September 2.

Megan Topliss, defending, said the texts were not threatening or offensive and that Murray, of Castle Street, Salisbury, had struggled to come to terms with the end of the relationship.

Judge Keith Cutler sentenced him to 46 weeks in prison and made him subject to a further restraining order prohibiting contact with his victim for five years.

“Because of your present attitude, it looks as though probation feel that you are posing a high risk of serious harm towards people you may have relationships with in the future,” he said.

“You have really got to sort yourself out. I hope that you really will come out of prison resolving to do something with your life and to avoid coming back to court at all.”