A DUMPED boyfriend followed his ex from Worcester to Kidderminster, forcing her to lock herself in her car to escape from him pestering her.

Thomas Bates, of Baxter Gardens, Kidderminster, has already served two months in prison for flouting two separate court orders put in place to protect his ex-girlfriend after she decided to end their relationship.

The 32-year-old dad admitted persistent breaches of both a non-molestation order and a later restraining order made to protect his ex-partner when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court.

Bates acted in breach of the restraining order on July 18 this year by banging on the window of her car with his mobile phone. The order was only made on July 2.

On the same day, he also breached a non-molestation order by following her from Worcester to Kidderminster on the A449, pursuing her all the way to the car park of Kidderminster Police Station.

The order was made in the family court on May 26 this year and prohibits him from intimidating, harassing or pestering his ex.

He further breached the restraining order without reasonable excuse between July 19 and July 21 this year by telephoning her using his mother’s phone.

Bates also breached the non-molestation order by going to Brickfields Park in Worcester on July 20, when his ex was with her two children.

When the defendant appeared for sentence, he had been in custody since he was arrested for the breaches on July 22 this year.

John Brotherton, prosecuting, said the ex-girlfriend ended her 12-year relationship with the defendant in April this year due to what she described as his "controlling behaviour".

However, she said the defendant repeatedly messaged and telephoned her to the extent that she sought a non-molestation order from the family court.

The defendant was already subject to a community order at the time of the breaches.

Mr Brotherton said the ex-girlfriend was driving to Kidderminster on the A449 at 10am when "she became aware the defendant was following her in his van".

“She had the children with her in the car and the defendant was flashing his lights at her and sounding his horn,” said the prosecutor. “She locked herself in the car.

"The defendant has then approached her vehicle and started to knock on the window with his mobile phone, shouting that he wanted to speak to her,” said Mr Brotherton.

The whole incident lasted around 10 minutes before he drove away.

The prosecutor also said the defendant tried to use his vehicle to create a nuisance and prevent her leaving the car park. although no charge of dangerous driving was pursued by the prosecution.

In total, the defendant made 52 calls to the complainant.

At around 4.30pm, she was sitting on the grass at Brickfields park in Worcester with her children when she became aware of the defendant approaching from around 10 metres away.

The defendant left when she called police.

Bates was arrested and taken to Worcester Police Station where he answered no comment to questions. However, Bates did say he had only gone to Brickfields Park to wait for a friend to have a meal.

In a victim impact statement, Bates' ex-girlfriend said she was "anxious and stressed", felt she was "constantly looking over her shoulder" and "feared he would appear at any time".

She also said she had lost weight due to the stress.

Niall Skinner, defending, said: “He isn’t someone who would ever want to be in this position again quite frankly. The time spent in custody has served as complete reinforcement to him that court orders are there to be obeyed.”

Judge Nicolas Cartwright said: “Sadly this relationship came to an end in April this year. [She] made that decision and, hard to accept as I’m sure it was, you should have accepted it.”

He told the defendant: “You turned up at Brickfields Park and stayed there despite the fact you knew full well she was there.

"You left her anxious and stressed. She must have wondered what the point of getting these orders was given that you were regularly breaching them."

Taking into account that the defendant had already spent two months in prison, the judge sentenced Bates to 15 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.

The restraining order and non-molestation order remain in force.

Bates must also complete the building better relationships programme and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He was also ordered to pay £1,000 costs and a statutory victim surcharge.