AGREEING to go for a drink with a man, a woman then found herself bombarded with unwanted attention.

But when he refused to sign a harassment notice issued against him 50-year-old Andrew Turner found himself in court facing a charge of harassment without violence. Despite pleading guilty to the charge against the Cricklade woman, Turner maintained matters had got out of hand and shouldn’t have reached court.

Pauline Lambert, prosecuting, told magistrates sitting in Swindon Magistrates Court on Wednesday morning that the harassment had stemmed from a drink together two years ago.

“She says she felt sorry for him so accepted an invitation to go out for a drink with him,” she said.

“She left early and went home. Since that evening she has repeatedly had phonecalls, text messages, he has written her letters and sent her flowers. Because he has ignored her wishes back in October 2014 a harassment notification was issued, but he wouldn't sign it.”

On Wednesday the resident of Gassons Road, Lechlade, pleaded guilty to one charge of harassment without violence between March 23, 2015 and December 14, 2015.

Ms Lambert added that the matter was complicated by the fact they both drank at the same pub together, and that Turner would also buy her friends drinks, which the woman found uncomfortable. “Around Christmas time she wouldn't go out because she was worried he would be there. She doesn’t feel that she should have to change her mobile number. When interviewed he admitted he had sent messages to her but had no intention to upset her.”

Representing himself in court Turner told the magistrates there was more to it than that, and previously – for a period of around 18 months - the pair would speak on the phone most nights for about an hour.

“I didn’t sign it (the notification) because I thought it was a spur of the moment thing that would blow over,” he said. “I don’t talk to her in the pub, I just ignore her. This is something that has got blown up from conversations on the phone. I haven’t done anything since December.”

Sentencing him, chairman of the bench Val Street told him they were imposing a restraining order on him for a period of one year. “During this period you must have no contact whatsoever with her. If you are in the same pub as her you must not contact her friends either. If you breach this order you will be committing a serious offence and you could go to prison, that is how serious it is.”

He was also ordered to pay £85 Crown Prosecution Service costs as well as a £50 fine and a £20 victim surcharge.