A MAN who repeatedly sent abusive messages to a woman over social media was handed a 15-week suspended prison sentence and instructed to do 120 hours of unpaid work.

Robin Giles, 40, of County Road, was told by Swindon magistrates it was imposed because he had a record of similar offences and had committed the offences while on an existing suspended sentence.

The court heard he had contacted the victim between July and November over social media, through emails and in voicemails.

Giles admitted the offence and was made the subject of a restraining order banning him from contacting her for the next two years.

He was fined £450 for breaching the previous suspended sentence, imposed in October 2016. But the bench decided not to take any action after the probation service reported he had completed much of it. Giles was also told to pay £115 towards victim services and £85 costs.