WITHIN hours of a restraining order being imposed on him, a 29-year-old man broke it by sending a series of WhatsApp messages to his ex-partner, one declaring “I love you”.

On Friday last week, Ian Wyn Edwards, of Ffordd y Felin, Dolgellau, pleaded guilty at Llandudno court to breaching the order on 24 May and was given a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for a year.

District Judge Gwyn Jones ordered him to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, observe a 7pm-6am curfew for 16 weeks, and pay £200 costs.

He extended the restraining order not to contact his former partner to six years.

Judge Jones told him: “It was a breach which occurred within a matter of hours of you leaving court, making contact with the victim who has been the subject of abuse and violence by you on a number of occasions in the past.

“You also have a record for violence and non-compliance with court orders.”

He added that the restraining order “was to protect the victim from further harassment and violence.”

David Jones, defending, said the order had first been granted after he pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman by grabbing a mobile phone from her.

Edwards, who hoped to start a council job, had not made threats when he contacted her after the case.