A MALVERN man has admitted harassing a former partner through various methods, including setting up a fake Facebook profile in her name.

Phillip Taynton, of Malvern, pleaded guilty to harassment without violence in Ledbury, between February and May of this year, when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday, (August 24).

Prosecuting Kerry Lovegrove told magistrates that the 41-year-old had split with the victim after a two-year relationship, due to his "unreasonable behaviour and paranoia".

Police issued a harassment order warning him to cease contact with the victim, who had come off social media platforms due to the issues.

But Miss Lovegrove explained the victim later discovered a Facebook profile had been set up in her name by Taynton, with harmful comments appearing to have been written by her, on it.

Miss Lovegrove said the woman also received a friend request on the myfitnesspal app, and a Valentine's day card.

Miss Lovegrove referred to a victim statement in which the woman said she wanted to get on with her life, but was worried Taynton would now become obsessed with her again.

The victim has said she was once a bubbly character but the harassment had caused her to become withdrawn.

The statement added that the victim had started to become positive about life again, after counselling, but the new harassment had "brought it all back".

Defending, Julia Powell said Taynton, when the harassment order was first given to him, was wrongly advised he could contact the victim as long as it was in writing and not in person.

Miss Powell said Taynton accepted he had set up for the Facebook profile, apologising for doing it, and on the fitness app had been responding to a message.

She also highlighted there had been no threatening nature in the contact, instead looking to rekindle the relationship.

Magistrates fined Taynton £318, and ordered him to pay costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £31 - a total of £484.

Taynton was also given a three-year restraining order not to contact the woman directly or indirectly, and warned this also applied to social media.