A woman was forced to help her “destructive” stalker down from a window after he became entangled in her curtains.

Richard Holka, of Birchington, targeted Amy Harland after their “rocky relationship” fell apart.

The 33-year-old appeared at her home on multiple occasions, phoned her dozens of times and tried climbing through her window.

But she discovered her former security guard boyfriend becoming trapped in the curtain material while pleading for help.

The father-of-three was handed a suspended sentence at Canterbury Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to stalking involving serious alarm.

Miss Harland discovered Holka halfway through a window at the top of the stairs of her Alpha Road home in April, prosecutor Darren Almeida said.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Can’t you help me?” he replied.

Miss Harland then noticed Holka had become trapped in the curtains, and “had to assist him because she didn’t want them to rip”, Mr Almeida said.

Following an argument, Holka took the family dog but promptly returned the pet after police were called.

The court heard Miss Harland was put in “fear, anguish and distress” while feeling like a “prisoner in her own home,” as Holka embarked on a two-week stalking campaign.

In April, Holka interfered with her enjoyment of life on four occasions, and was arrested and bailed.

“You set about on a destructive course of conduct against your former partner..."

But he flouted the bail conditions and targeted her a further five times, including phoning her on more than 20 occasions and following her at a supermarket.

Handing down 12 months, suspended for two years, Judge Simon Taylor KC told visibly distraught Holka: “You set about on a destructive course of conduct against your former partner."

The judge said Holka, who was supported by his mother in the public gallery, placed his victim in “fear, anguish and distress,” while making her feel like a “prisoner in her own home”.

Holka, who has 22 previous offences for 36 convictions, was ordered to complete a six-month drug rehabilitation order and 12-month probation course.

Mitigating, Phil Rowley said Holka was "remorseful and upset" over his actions, had "developed insight" into his behaviour and was "respectful of the existence of a non-molestation order."