An Ashford woman was too scared to sleep in her flat alone after being subjected to months of harassment by her neighbour, who kept telling her he loved her.

Steven Molnar, 53, followed his victim to her front door, waited for her to come home and even declared his love for her through her letterbox.

Appearing before magistrates in Folkestone, Molnar, of Mayhew Close, pleaded guilty to one charge of harassment without violence.

Unemployed Molnar had been warned by police twice to stay away and stop his behaviour, but continued to declare his love for his terrified neighbour.

In a victim statement read to the court, the woman said: "I cannot begin to express how this has made me feel.

"I’m terrified about coming back to my flat. I spent three weeks not living here.

"I would not walk to work, I was always worried that he was following me. When I was on my own I would run inside my house. I felt I was constantly looking over my shoulder.

"I even avoided certain supermarkets he had been to.

"I was jumping at every single noise. I had to have my friend stay over when my partner was working away.

"I cannot remember the last time I was home by myself."

Prosecutor Neil Sweeney said: "She made it clear that she was not interested and was happy in her relationship, but his behaviour appears to have escalated.

"He spoke through her letterbox, waited outside her door and there was one particular incident in Sainsbury’s where he approached her when she was with friends and said ‘can you send me a picture of you wearing red?’

"In another incident he was outside his front door and said ‘I know you do not love your partner, you are scared of him’. He then looked at her partner and said ‘you’re a dead man.’"

Molnar, who has previous convictions for assault, was arrested and confessed his behaviour.

Magistrates gave him a nine-month community order, ordered him to complete 15 days in rehab and gave him a two-year restraining order.