A MOTHER had to change her job, her home and her phone number, and move her daughter to another school, because of the threatening and distressing text messages from her former husband, despite a restraining order.
David Jennings, 38, of Castle Road, Torquay, pleaded guilty at Truro Magistrates' Court to breaching a restraining order during January and February.
Gail Hawkley, for the prosecution, said the order was made in August 2011 prohibiting Jennings from contacting his wife, Gina, of Perranporth, except through solicitors.
In December, he started seeing their daughter without Mrs Jennings' knowledge and, when she found out, she texted him to facilitate contact with the child.
"There were still problems between the couple and he started to send threatening and distressing texts to her."
In a conversation, he threatened to beat people up if he could not see his daughter.
She said she wanted no further contact with him but started to receive calls on a regular basis.
He turned up at their home when she was out which made her daughter tearful and scared.
Mrs Jennings was left feeling scared he would harm her or the child.
Patrick Haynes, for Jennings, said Mrs Jennings had brought about the contact made by the defendant with her daughter.
He did not accept that his contact had been threatening or abusive.
"She had been wholly complicit with the breaching of the order and at one time had gone to the defendant's home where they sat and talked."
Jennings was fined £35 with a £20 victim surcharge.
