A stalking boyfriend has kept his liberty despite putting his ex-girlfriend through a 20 month campaign of stalking.

George Cox punched his lover during a "toxic" love affair in Chatham which ended in 2018.

Prosecutor Tanya Robinson told Maidstone Crown Court he punched his victim in the face leaving her with a black eye and bloody nose.

Cox, now 21, and living in Middlesbrough was told that the seven-month relationship was finished but then started making abusive calls.

During the hour long hearing, Cox claimed he was nauseous and began shaking as details of vile threats were explained to the judge.

"Between October 2018 and June last year, he subjected her to unwanted contact, including nasty, abusive and threatening messages and calls.

"She told him to stop contacting her and would block his number but he would contact her using new or withheld numbers," the prosecutor added.

Some of the calls were recorded and played to the judge; including one which said: "Listen you dumb sket, I knocked you out once and once I catch you (again), I'm spinning your jaw this time."

Another recorded Cox as saying: "I'm coming to Kent in two week's time, on my mum's life, I'm gonna find out where you are. I'm dragging you out by your fat ***** head and I'm stamping on it."

The victim moved from Chatham to Strood after the brakes on her mother's van were cut five times - and although the police accepted he wasn't responsible, Cox taunted his victim by asking: "How do you like your mum's brake lines being cut?"

Ms Robinson told how on one occasion the mother had been travelling at 35mph when the brakes failed.

"She was able to slow the vehicle using the gears and the handbrake. She discovered subsequent incidents of criminal damage on her vehicle before travelling very far.

"How do you like your mum's brake lines being cut..?"

"She didn't know who was carrying out this damage and the police were unable to identify the perpetrator.

"It is accepted that the Crown could not prove that he was responsible but he knew or found out about it and used the information to intimidate her," added the prosecutor.

The victim later told police officers she was now scared to go into Chatham.

Steven Attridge, defending, said Cox accepted that his victim would have been "terrified".

"What he said was frightening and ugly and he regrets it," he added.

Jobless Cox was given a 22 month sentence, but the term was suspended for two years.

He was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work for the community.

Judge Catherine Moore banned him for going to where the woman and her mother are now living for eight years.

She said his actions were designed to "intimidate, control, manipulate and humiliate" and the impact on his victim had been profound.

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