A 38-year-old man has been handed a community order by magistrates after admitting harassing his ex partner.

Thomas Hunter, of Apple Grove, Eaton Ford was texting, calling and visiting Hayley Fitzgibbon after she told him to leave the family home.

At Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court, last Thursday, prosecutor Claire Markwell said: “On September 1, Ms Fitzgibbon told Hunter to get out of the house they shared and said she didn’t want him there, so he went to live with his nan.

“Ms Fitzgibbon then said she didn’t want to see him until he became more stable.”

Hunter went to live with his nan but, in an attempt to see the Ms Fitzgibbon’s, children and the child they have together, he began contacting her frequently.

The court heard that Hunter went to the family home to look through her bins to see how many cigarettes she had been smoking, something the 38-year-old denied.

On another occasion Hunter had parked his van near the school that the children attend and approached Ms Fitzgibbon’s son.

Around the time that the incidents took place, the court heard that Hunter had stopped taking his medication for anxiety, and as Ms Fitzgibbon had run out of her own prescription, began taking his.

In mitigation, the court was told: “When his medication ran out, he simply couldn’t afford the new prescription.

“He doesn’t make any excuses for his actions but believes that may have had some impact on things.

“It was a rather toxic mix where neither of them were receiving the medication that they needed – the relationship was good when they were both on their medication.”

According to the prosecution, Ms Fitzgibbon has changed her phone number and that of her son’s and “feels trapped in her home and feels fearful of leaving”.

However, the court heard that the relationship between the couple has ended but Hunter shall continue to be a father to their children.

During sentencing at Huntingdon Magistrates Court, Hunter was given a 24 month community order and ordered to carry out a 30 day rehabilitation requirement.

He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs, £150 court surcharge and a £60 victim surcharge.