A SPURNED woman who sent abusive messages to her former partner - a police officer - and his new love has been told by a court she must pay them compensation.

Joanne Brockley had a long-term relationship and son with Gareth Bishop, but they split up six years ago, Steve Woodman, prosecuting, told Bolton Magistrates Court.

In August, 2011, she was given a formal warning after Mr Bishop reported her for harassing him while he was working in Cornwall.

Mr Woodman said that in 2013 Mr Bishop and his partner, Joanne Hayes, who is also a police officer, moved back to Bolton and since then Brockley has sent them numerous abusive emails.

She even rang 101 and left bogus messages for the couple, but they finally reported the harassment after 28-year-old Brockley sent them an email giving details of their new home, indicating she had been there. Mr Woodman added that the unwanted contact from Brockley had “upset them greatly”.

Brockley, of Melbourne Grove, Horwich, pleaded guilty to harassment without violence.

Michael Garstang, defending, said Brockley had given a false name when contacting Mr Bishop at work because she feared he would not speak to her and she wanted to talk about their son.

Mr Garstang said: “She has no desire to contact him, but she wants him to be able to see his son.”

District Judge Jonathan Finestein sentenced Brockley to a conditional discharge for two years and ordered that she pay £85 prosecution costs plus £125 compensation to each of her two victims.

Judge Finestein said: “When relationships break down there often can be all sorts of issues, negative issues and all sorts of concerns. Harassment is never acceptable. You have to move on and they have to move on.”

The judge also made a restraining order for three years prohibiting Brockley from contacting Mr Bishop or Ms Hayes or going to their home.

Any contact about their son must go through Brockley’s parents.