Trusthorpe teacher '˜broke restraining order' after prison sentence

Steven Christopher Johnson, 44, of Main Street, Trusthorpe, admitted harassment by sending the e-mail to his former partner Daniela Vinci in November last year.

Prosecuting, Marie Stace said Johnson and Ms Vinci had been in a relationship until he was convicted at Reading Crown Court in December 2015 of assaulting her and a restraining order was imposed to prevent him from contacting her.

She said that, on November 13, she received an e-mail from him saying that he wanted to marry her and asking her not to reply while she was angry.

Ms Stace said there was nothing threatening about the e-mail.

Mitigating, Solly Baig said Johnson accepted he sent the e-mail but it had been ‘quite a sentimental’ one.

He said Johnson had been at an ‘all time low’ after getting bad news from his doctor and he was missing her, but he knew he should not have sent it.

He added that Johnson was a qualified teacher of English and was planning to go abroad to teach this summer as he was now recovering his health and ‘ticking all the right boxes’.

Fining Johnson £120, the magistrates told Johnson the restraining order had been put in place ‘to make sure the victim had no further contact with you’.

They also ordered him to pay £115 in costs and charges.