769 calls and texts to woman in one day

A MAN texted and called a former partner no fewer than 769 times in a single day during a “torrent” of abusive and threatening phone communications, a court has heard.

- JASON EVANS Court and crime reporter

Despite being subject to a 10-year restraining order banning him from contacting his ex, Richard Ellis got in touch with the woman after being released from jail and began bombarding her with messages.

Sending the 32-year-old back to prison, a judge called the pub chef a “wholly inadequate and obsessive man”.

Georgia Donohue, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that in October last year Ellis was given a custodial sentence and was made subject to a restraining order following a conviction for strangling his partner.

She said after being released from custody the defendant began calling and texting the woman in defiance of the court order, and she made it clear to him that she did not want to rekindle the relationship.

The prosecutor said that following the rebuff, the woman was subjected to a “torrent” of threatening and abusive texts, calls, and voice messages at the hands of the defendant.