A MAN has been jailed for assault and harassment after he attacked his ex-girlfriend, who later committed suicide, and sent abusive text messages to her husband.

Darren Hills, of Cross Stile, Ashford, admitted five offences, including assault and two counts of harassment. He also admitted criminal damage and failing to provide police with a breath sample.

He was sentenced to five and a half months in prison. His offences were committed in October and November 2006.

In November last year, the victim of the assault, Theresa Kelly, committed suicide.

Prosecutor Anna Kachingwe told Ashford magistrates court: “This is a tragic case and also sensitive, as the victim died on November 6.”

At the time of the assault, Mrs Kelly had separated from her husband Tony and was living with Hills in Ashford. On October 28, 2006, a neighbour phoned the police to say that Mrs Kelly had been assaulted.

Ms Kachingwe said: “She told them Theresa was banging on her front door in the early hours of the morning, crying. She had red marks on her neck and bruising on her arms.”

In a statement to the police, Mrs Kelly said Hills had grabbed her by the neck and arms to stop her leaving the house.

Following the assault, Mrs Kelly left Hills and moved back in with her husband. Hills was arrested and told not to contact her, but the court heard he immediately began making phone calls to Mr Kelly’s house and sending him menacing and abusive text messages.

“At one point he received a phone call from a man claiming to be PC Wilby from Ashford police station,” Ms Kachingwe said. “When challenged, he admitted he was in fact Darren Hills.”

Hills also contacted care worker Neil Young, a colleague of Mrs Kelly, who had had a brief relationship with her. He confronted him in a public house and swore at him. After this incident, Mr Young received a number of abusive and threatening text messages from a number which turned out to be Mr Hills.

On October 31, Hills tried to break into the house he had lived in with Mrs Kelly, causing £900 worth of damage. Mrs Kelly had moved out after the assault and the owners of the building, Abode Property Development, had changed the locks. He was arrested in his car and taken to Ashford police station, where he failed to provide a sample for a breathalyser test.

Ashford magistrates sentenced Hills to 55 days for assaulting Mrs Kelly, and 55 days each for harassing Mr Young and Mr Kelly – a total of 165 days. He was also placed under a restraining order which bars him from making contact with either Mr Kelly or Mr Young for two years.

For the driving offence, Hills was given a three year ban.