Obsessed Leeds ex called woman 282 times in three days after being handed restraining order

Adrian Brough was given a suspended sentence in November last year for harassing the woman among other offences. The 36-year-old was also made the subject of a restraining order, not to contact or approach her or go near her address.

Ten days after being sentenced, he called the woman but she did not answer. He then sent her a message which read "f*** you, answer your phone".

Prosecuting the case at Leeds Crown Court this week, Oliver Connor said Brough then "bombarded" her with calls and voice messages. In three days he lefty 42 voice messages telling her he "could not live without her". Between November 23 and 26, he called her 282 times.

Brough, of Strathmore Avenue, Harehills, was arrested a short time later and refused to answer police questions. He later admitted breaching the restraining order and stalking without fear of violence. He had been sentenced to 24 weeks, suspended for 18 months, at Leeds Magistrates' Court in November for harassment, battery, threatening behaviour and criminal damage, all related to his ex partner.

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with YEP’s free emails

He had smashed her window after becoming jealous of her talking to men at a wedding and punched her to the head in another argument and tried to stamp on her. After she called the police he rang her persistently saying he would kill himself because she had reported him to the authorities. In one vile message, he told her he hoped she would get "raped" on a night out.

Overall, he has 18 previous convictions for 35 offences. Mitigating for his latest offences, Ashleigh Heyworth said: "He has a problem with drugs. He was consuming a lot of drugs when he was making those calls, not that it minimises his offending."

She said he was doing better on remand, had gone onto a methadone prescription to combat his heroin addiction and was even clear of that now. She said he was also taking courses in prison to better himself.

She said: "He accepts it was a toxic relationship. He is determined to put that behind him and look to the future. He intends to move away from the area after his release."

The judge, Recorder Thomas Moran activated four months of his suspended sentence, and gave him an additional 10 months, taking it to 14 months' jail overall.