A philandering husband embarked on a series of relationships with women and then terrorised them by sending anonymous text messages, a court heard.

Michael Nartey cut a respectable figure earning about £80,000 a year as an insurance underwriter in the City.

But while cheating on his wife and mother of his child he was waging a vile campaign of threats and abuse against five women, some of whom had his children.

The 39-year-old father, of Upper Norwood, south east London, was jailed for three years after admitting harassing five women, putting them in fear of violence, and intimidating three of them.

He also admitted stealing £600 from one of the women.

Prosecutor Bridget Todd said Nartey embarked on a series of long-term relationships with women.

“She was extremely upset. It seemed to refer back to the burglaries two years before when her underwear was taken” - Prosecutor Bridget Todd

He met one woman from Sittingbourne on an internet dating site in 2011 and spent weekends with her. She lent him £2,500 from her savings because he seemed desperate.

In early 2012 her home was broken into twice and only her underwear was taken.

Meanwhile, Nartey’s father died and the woman lent him money to pay for funeral expenses. They were due to go on holiday but he cancelled at the last moment.

In March last year, she received odd text messages from a number she did not recognise. One said: “Love the undies. Want more.”

“She was extremely upset,” Miss Todd told Maidstone Crown Court on Friday. “It seemed to refer back to the burglaries two years before when her underwear was taken.”

She received further texts referring to her panties and her car and telling her: “We watch you every day.”

She told Nartey about the texts and he seemed shocked. She became so terrified that she booked into a hotel.

He had referred to an ex-partner, who turned out to be another victim living in Birchington. She had met him on a night out in Margate in 2006.

The relationship fizzled out and then in 2013 she started receiving obscene texts. She was also threatened: “You need to watch your back love.”

Nartey even targeted a female work colleague at the insurance company where he worked in Fenchurch Street.

She received offensive and threatening messages not realising they were from him. He warned she would be punished if she carried out her threat to go to the police.

“He is not a violent man. He is a typical defendant in many ways. He has fallen from a great height, leaving a good job in the City" - Ben Temple, defending

The woman later told officers Nartey had tried it on with her but, knowing he was married, she rebutted him. She said he was known by the nickname “Shagger” in the office.

Miss Todd said Nartey was in a relationship with another woman for four years and she had his child. She received similar texts.

A further woman was subjected to the same campaign. She thought they were in a loving, long-term relationship. She later discovered he had withdrawn £600 from her account.

Police tracked down Nartey from use of a pay-as-you-go phone and he was arrested at work in April last year.

He had been married for about 13 years and told officers he did not deserve his wife.

Ben Temple, defending, said Nartey began to realise the damage he was doing.

“He is not a violent man,” he said. “He is a typical defendant in many ways. He has fallen from a great height, leaving a good job in the City.

“His salary of almost £80,000 has gone. It is wholly self-inflicted. It took almost 18 years to work himself up in the underwriting business. He has been working for one of the most prestigious Italian companies.

“He was travelling to Miami and Dublin. It enabled him to continue the deceptions because he could take women with him. He has been offered a job in Switzerland.

“He has been remanded for almost six months. His wife is present today. This whole exercise must be mortifying for both of them. She has stood by him.

“He does seek to apologise. He hopes the lives of the victims can be rebuilt.”

“It must have reinforced their fear. That was a cold an calculated decision on your part. You are to be sentenced for criminal activities, not for morally reprehensible behaviour" - Judge Philip St John-Stevens

Judge Philip St John-Stevens said the abuse of trust or power could indicate higher culpability.

“What must have made these threats all the more harrowing to the victims are the texts revealing the sender had personal knowledge of their movements, their whereabouts and daily lives,” he said.

“It must have reinforced their fear. That was a cold an calculated decision on your part. You are to be sentenced for criminal activities, not for morally reprehensible behaviour.

“Words may not do justice to the harm they suffered and continue to suffer. The psychological harm is far from transitory.

“You have demonstrated you are highly dishonest, deceitful, heartless and, at times, a manipulative man. Those you have embraced in your life you have deceived.”

The judge made restraining orders banning Nartey from contact with victims.

He commended DS Richard Allingham and DC Iain Joyce for their thorough and careful investigation.