A woman feared her jealous railway worker ex-husband had installed a camera in her bedroom after she refused to reveal the identity of her new lover, a court heard.

Daniel Morrissey admitted two charges of stalking his former wife of 13 years after their relationship broke down earlier this year.

The 47-year-old, of Speldhurst Close in Stanhope, was accused of a month-long campaign of stalking at her home in the Willesborough area of Ashford this summer, followed by a second week-long spell while on bail in September.

Prosecutor Alban Brahimi said the pair had told each other they were seeing new partners, at which point Morrissey demanded to know who it was that she was courting.

She then noticed that things were going missing from her home, it started with her wedding and engagement ring, and also included a Pandora bracelet charm she wore for their daughter who was stillborn.

She believed he was entering her home and taking items at will, it included taking her perfume, vapestick batteries, and even her diary, leading her to believe he had got a key cut, as there was never any sign of a break-in.

Morrissey agreed to meet to return the items, but refused to leave her home when coming to collect their daughter.

Mr Brahimi said: “Later that day they met at the French Connection restaurant. He demanded to know who she was seeing, She refused and he got into a rage and threw a chair.

“He then said to her, ‘I’m going to destroy you, I’m going to ruin you psychologically, physically and mentally’.

“She believed that he may have installed a camera in her bedroom, as he texted her to imply he could see what she was doing when she was watching television with their daughter.”

The harassment forced her to get a police panic alarm installed at her home. On one occasion he climbed a tree outside her home and shouted “you are a **** *****” before running off before police arrived.

Other incidents including him posting a plastic bag with vape fluid through her front door, and also approaching her car window while she was on the school run and shouting and swearing in front of their daughter.

Defence solicitor Alan Land said relations soured when Morrissey had to cut the amount he paid in child maintenance because of reduced hours at work.

Morrissey took the items in order to bargain for access to see his daughter, the court was told. During the confrontation at the French Connection, she was accused of slapping him.

Mr Land said that Morrissey denies saying the threat to “destroy her”. He added: “He accepts that his words caused her harassment and that his conduct in these circumstances went over the line.”

Magistrates sentenced him to 42 days and 49 days for the two stalking charges, which will run concurrently.

He was ordered to pay court costs of £620 and compensation of £100, which he has agreed to pay at a rate of £50 per month.

They also imposed a restraining order on him, preventing him from attending the address in Willesborough, and for contact with his daughter to be arranged via a third party.