An 'obsessive' man who had been jailed for harassing a woman was back stood outside her house within weeks of being released, a court has heard.

Andrew Boyne, 45, had been jailed after a “campaign” against his victim and was hit with a restraining order forbidding him from contacting her.

But Bolton Crown Court heard how on October 1 last year Boyne’s victim spotted him near her home while she was driving shortly after his release.

Prosecutor Paul Treble said: “As she pulled out not the street, she saw the defendant stood out on the street.”

He added: “He looked at her and watched her drive past him into her house.”

The Bolton News: The case was heard at Bolton Crown CourtThe case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Boyne, who has 13 previous convictions for 24 offences, then messaged the woman on Facebook, despite having been forbidden to do so by his restraining order.

The victim called the police and Boyne, of Pennine Road, Horwich, was arrested.

Mr Treble told the court that as he was arrested Boyne said: “I only messaged her to say sorry, I didn’t think the message would go through anyway.”

When interviewed by officers he remained silent, but pleaded guilty to breach of a restraining order when brought before the magistrates court.

Mr Treble said: “He doesn’t appear to have any genuine regret or remorse for what he has done.”

He added: “It is another breach when he knows he should not do what he is doing.”

Boyne, who looked on via video-link from prison, had been in custody since October 4 last year.

Rachael Woods, defending, said that Boyne deserved credit for having pleaded guilty and said she accepted it was a deliberate breach “however unsophisticated that breach may have been.”

But she argued that this was not a “persistent breach” and that he had been “intending to apologise and then got carried away.”

But Judge Elliot Knopf reminded the court of Boyne’s “unenviable record”, including his previous conviction for harassment.

He also pointed out Boyne’s “obsessive behaviour”, “lack of victim empathy” and “cavalier attitude towards court orders.”

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Judge Knopf said: “You have clearly had an obsession with this lady, she needs peace and quiet from you.”

He added: “You may not understand the distress you caused her, but you do anything more relating to her and you’re going to prison for some time.”

Judge Knopf sentenced Boyne to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to complete a nine-month drug rehabilitation requirement.

He also ordered him to complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and made him subject to a location monitoring tag for 12 months.