A JEALOUS man who launched a campaign of stalking after being dumped has been jailed for two years and told he must not contact his victim for a decade.

Mark Hillman had been in a relationship with the woman for less than five months when she ended it because of his possessive behaviour.

But despite being subject to a restraining order for earlier incidents the 40-year-old continued to harass the woman, who works as a carer for vulnerable adults.

He even approached her clients in the street, trying to get them to pass messages to her, as he repeatedly breached the injunction.

Hillman, of Clothier Leaze, Trowbridge, admitted stalking and breaching a restraining order.

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how after the relationship ended last May he sent threatening voicemails to her.

“She described him as becoming jealous and possessive but when she ended the relationship he refused to accept that but has persisted in contacting her,” she said.

Within weeks he was convicted of sending malicious communications after he threatened to come to her house with a hammer, kick in her door, beat up her adult son and damage his car.

A restraining order was imposed but within weeks he breached it by approaching her, gesticulating and shouting abuse.

Miss Hingston said a month later he again failed to comply with the order by sending 12 voicemail messages and was given on a suspended sentence on August 9.

Days later he was sending more voicemail messages to her, including 'I don't care about the police,' and 'If I go to jail you will know about it'.

She said the victim is that she has a job as a support worker and carer for vulnerable adults and he had been approaching her clients.

In a victim personal statement she said that she will 'always be looking over my shoulder wondering if he is following me'.

The woman said he had approached her friends and other people who knew her 'numerous times' as he tried to get them to give her messages.

David Maunder, defending, said that his client had told him he had psychological problems and a mental age of seven.

As a result of being remanded in custody, he said he had now lost his flat and would be starting from scratch on his release.

He said the stalking, though unpleasant, was limited to voicemails and was symptomatic of a man who could not take the end of a relationship.

Jailing him Judge Robert Pawson said "It ended because you were possessive and jealous.

"It ended because she had the strength of mind to not put up with this sort of behaviour. You then pursued her."

He also imposed a restraining order banning Hillman from contacting her, her family or clients for 10 years.