A stalker victim is to reward the man who sent her 2,000 sinister texts and silent phone calls – many about death – with a special tattoo.

Lisa Martin complained to police that estranged husband Darren Hutchins – a man with convictions for robbery and illegally possessing a shotgun – had pestered her after their relationship floundered.

On one occasion, he sent her a picture of a gravestone with the words: "Till death do us part."

But now a judge has heard how the Folkestone mother – who also calls herself Lisa Hutchings - has forgiven him and planned to get a new tattoo that will read: "Darren Hutchins. Till Death Do Us Part."

Prosecutor Neil Ross told Canterbury Crown Court: "Hutchins and Ms Martin are married and have been in a relationship for two years. It is best categorised as on-off.

"They have two children together, although Ms Martin has children from other relationships."

He said that in September last year she decided "the relationship had finally come to an end" and Hutchins left their Folkestone home.

Mr Ross added: "He then started to display behaviour typical of a jilted husband – but it didn't just remain like that.

"It soon developed into a barrage of phone calls, many of them silent, and text messages, again many of them blank."

Hutchins, 43, also claimed he wanted to kill himself if the couple could not get back together.

"On October 10 he sent her a text in the early hours of the morning saying: 'For better, for worse; in sickness and in health... till death do us part. It's what we committed to and I intend to fulfil my vows'," said the prosecutor.

Darren Hutchins was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court

Hutchins also sent another text telling her she would not need a phone "where you are going".

Mr Ross added: "The subtext is obvious, the Crown say. On October 25, he sent a picture of the gravestone with the words 'Till death do us part' before adding 'I really mean that'.

"That type of text continued and became even more disturbing."

Hutchins, who had moved to London, travelled to Folkestone in November and sent Lisa messages clearly indicating he was stalking her.

Mr Ross said: "It is clear that he was watching what was going on inside her house. To do that he would have had to enter the garden and then climb over a number of connecting properties – it is not an easy path to get to.

"He texted her that she was sitting on the sofa before leaving a small piece of jewellery on her front step which had significant sentimental value for them."

"i just want to put all this behind us and for us to become a family again..." – lisa martin

By now, Ms Martin's phone had been given to police and the texts were being read by officers investigating her complaint about being stalked and was frightened to be in her home by herself.

The court heard a friend of the family spotted Hutchins in the garden and brought him to the ground with a rugby tackle and held him until officers arrived.

Hutchins has previous convictions including robbery in 2007, when he was jailed for 27 months, and illegally possessing a firearm on another occasion.

Initially Ms Martin, in a victim impact statement, claimed she had been "fearful, scared and worried for her family's safety" and wanted "his behaviour to stop".

She said: "I don't what triggered this, but I now realise that he will never change. I thought he would. He can't hide behind the kids. He is obsessed and follows me everywhere. He will not give up and always says: 'Till death do us part'.

But in March this year she sent a letter claiming she had felt under pressure from the police into making her complaint.

She claimed the bust-up followed a miscarriage and she felt she had pushed her husband away, adding: "I just want to put all this behind us and for us to become a family again."

Tom Restell, for Hutchins who admitted a public order offence, said: "This is a most unusual case... a most unusual case."

He said Ms Martin had visited her estranged husband in prison where he was recalled on licence and said she now wants a tattoo with his name and "Till death do us part" written underneath.

Mr Restell added: "All Hutchins asks is for leniency and understanding. He wants to go home to her now."

Hutchins, of South Lambeth, London, was given a 20-week jail sentence - suspended for a year - and given a three-month curfew from 7pm to 7am.