A MAN who harassed his pregnant ex after she ended their relationship has been given an 18-month community order.

Tony Burley, of Clyde Court, Andover, pleaded guilty to harassing Hattie Taylor between December 11, 2016 and January 25, 2017 in Amesbury.

Salisbury magistrates heard Burley, who had been living in Peterborough, had been in a long-distance relationship with Miss Taylor after meeting last April and they were expecting a child together.

In December, Miss Taylor ended the relationship and wanted no further contact.

She reported him to police after receiving “unwanted” contact via text, Facebook, Whatsapp messages and phone calls, saying he loved her and wanted to discuss their child.

Burley also delivered flowers and a letter to Miss Taylor’s mother. Concern grew after Miss Taylor received hand-delivered messages from him and saw him drive past her.

Burley was given a harassment information notice but after about a week contacted Miss Taylor with text messages and left a voicemail. The court heard Mr Burley also contacted her doctor’s surgery.

Prosecuting, Kate Prince, said Miss Taylor was “frightened by his behaviour”.

A statement from Miss Taylor, who has bi-polar disorder, said the defendant’s behaviour had made her feel “anxious and uncomfortable” and had affected her sleep. She said she was “absolutely overwhelmed”.

She said they had never been in an official relationship.

Nick Redhead, defending, said Burley, 30, was an orphan: “It is fair to say Mr Burley fell quite deeply into it and had considerable feelings towards her and for a long time thought she had considerable feelings towards him as well. All due respect, Miss Taylor downplays things as simply being a casual relationship. It is not really the truth of the matter – with encouragement he left Peterborough and got himself accommodation and a job in Andover.”

Mr Redhead said no threats were made in the communications, just expressions of love and wanting to be a father to his child. “He has not acted in a menacing way, everything has been done out of love and everything has been out of the desire to be a father.”

As part of the community order, Burley must do 150 hours of unpaid work and complete rehabilitation. He must also comply with a restraining order and pay £170 costs.