Man broke restraining orderwhile serving jail sentence

Robert James Stevens, 24, of Flat Tops, Normanby by Stow near Gainsborough, admitted harassment between 5th and 13th January last year.

He also admitted breaching a different restraining order and possession of cannabis at a house in Boston on 17th November.

Skegness Magistrates Court heard how Stevens had been serving a sentence in Lincoln Prison for assaulting his partner Francesca Valentinas and a restraining order had been imposed.

But he wrote six letters to her using his cellmate’s name, and she recognised his handwriting.

When interviewed, he claimed he had not understood the terms of the restraining order.

On 17th November, police searched an address in Granville Street in Boston and found Stevens there.

He was in possession of cannabis and was in breach of a restraining order in relation to the people at that address.

Defending, Mr Geoff Hudson said it had to be admitted that in the recent past, Stevens was someone who had taken no notice of court orders.

But he said there was nothing threatening in the letters – he had been apologising to her and telling her he loved her.

He said that, in fact, she went to see him after he was released but he hadn’t seen her since then.

The address in Granville Street, he said, was Stevens’ parents address and the police had gone there on an unrelated matter and just found him there.

His mother had written to the court to say that he was no problem to her and she thought the restraining order had ended.

Stevens was given a two year community order with supervision and a requirement to attend a domestic abuse programme and a drug rehabilitation course.

He was also ordered to pay £85 in costs and warned that he faced custody if he failed to comply with the order.