A Bolton armed services veteran tormented his former partner and repeatedly breached court orders to stay away from her.

James Sheldon-Borg was in a relationship which began well but took a downturn at the start of the Covid pandemic.

Bolton Crown Court heard he engaged in controlling and coercive behaviour towards her where he would follow her to addresses and stop her seeing friends and family.

In August 2021, a family court imposed a non-molestation order prohibiting him from contacting her and making threats of violence.

That same year he was sentenced at court for stalking her and released in November.

A restraining order was also made again prohibiting contact.

But Sheldon-Borg, 30, rang her daily while he was in prison and the woman realised it was him after googling the phone number.

She later went to a refuge for victims of domestic violence but Sheldon-Borg repeatedly visited her there.

In June 2022 he turned up at a friend’s house who his partner was staying with.

The friend then asked him to leave so her children were not disturbed but Sheldon-Borg twice picked the woman up in a “fireman’s lift” and took her away from the property.

They went to his home in Bolton and attacked her on the way and accused her of having another partner.

When police attended he ordered the woman to hide in the boiler room and he told officers she was not present.

The woman later left through the back door and was seen by officers.

Anna Bond, prosecuting, read a victim impact statement from Sheldon-Borg’s former partner.

It said: “I feel disgusted by everything that has gone on.

“If I was not a strong person this would have made me feel suicidal.

“If James is released I will be terrified.”

Sheldon-Borg, of Grundy Road, Kearsley, appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting controlling and coercive behaviour, common assault and six breaches of non-molestation orders.

His pleas were accepted on the basis that his partner had said at one point she wanted to remove the non-molestation order.

Bob Elias, defending, said: “The relationship is over, the defendant realises that.

“His plan is to rejoin the army, he is in the reserves, this type of offending is not such that it would preclude him joining the armed forces.”

Judge Tom Gilbart said: “These matters are so serious that appropriate punishment cannot be achieved short of immediate custody.”

He jailed him for a period of 17 months.