A dad-of-two left his wife and children screaming in terror as they hid in a room after he broke into her new home.

Philip Blake, from Whitstable, could not cope with the breakdown of his marriage and bombarded the woman with abusive calls and texts.

He turned up at her home in Sandwich three times uninvited - and launched a foul-mouthed rant at her over the phone at the school where she worked.

Blake, of Grimthorpe Avenue, Whitstable, was arrested and bailed over the incidents and told not to go to her home, but continued to contact her and left a letter on her car windscreen.

He was later charged with stalking over a nine-day period in December last year. He admitted the offence when he appeared in court in May and a pre-sentencing report was ordered.

The unemployed 42-year-old returned to Margate Magistrates’ Court on August 30 to learn his fate.

Julie Farbrace, prosecuting, said the couple had been husband and wife for 15 years and are still married.

She said they separated in July last year and sold their home, with his wife moving to a different address in Sandwich with their two children.

Ms Farbrace told the court: “His behaviour made her leave but he would still see the children. The contact between them was meant to be about the children, but he began to call and verbally abuse her.”

In December arrangements needed to be made so the children could see their dad during the Christmas period.

However, Blake started questioning the woman about who she was seeing after going through her phone bill which was still registered in his name.

Ms Farbrace said: “Again she told him not to contact her and she hung up the phone.

“She put her phone on silent, went to bed and woke up to 10 missed calls and 36 texts.

“Then the phone was cut off. She went to get a new sim card and number and she doesn’t know how he got the new number, as she had only shared it with some people, but he called her again.”

Magistrates heard Blake turned up at her new home a few days later.

The prosecutor added: “It was about 5pm and she ignored him but then he started shouting, calling her a w**** and a s***, but she didn’t open the door.

“But at 9.30pm he turned up again and was banging on the door shouting abuse. She called the police, but they didn’t attend.”

During the night, she and her children were woken after Blake started throwing pebbles at her window and she called the police again.

Ms Farbrace added: “They could hear noises and closed the door of the room they were in as they were all freaked out as they realised he was now in the house.

“This caused them great distress and her daughter was scared and was screaming. The children were scared of their father and this was the final straw.

“She didn’t know how he got in as she thought she had locked all the doors and windows. She’s now filing for divorce and has blocked him.”

After Blake was arrested, he was released from custody and bailed on December 14, with conditions not to go to her home or contact her.

“Please just unblock me. I’ve been horrible, but I’m not a horrible person…”

However, later that evening the woman went to her car and there was an envelope on the windscreen.

The prosecutor added: “It was a two-page letter and it was civil, but it was a breach of his bail conditions.

“She then got a call at the school she works at and recognised his voice. He called her a lying **** and a s*** and was abusive. She terminated the call.

“Later she was on the phone to her mum and she saw she had another call and the caller had no ID. It was him when she answered it.”

The court heard he then left a voicemail that said: “Please just unblock me. I’ve been horrible, but I’m not a horrible person. I’ve been nasty as you’ve been taken away.

“It’s just a mess. I just want you and want to make you love me again as I love you so much. Please give me a chance.”

They later met in a car park in Sandwich so he could see the children, but as she was reversing to leave he flagged her down and gave her a bottle of wine and a Christmas card.

Ms Farbrace added: “On December 21 she heard the chime of her doorbell and couldn’t see anyone at the door, but then checked the doorbell app and saw something had been posted through the letterbox and it was him.

“The incidents left her anxious and unable to sleep for two days and she said any noise scared her and her son was now terrified of his own father.”

Magistrates were also told that in March this year, the woman retracted the initial statement she’d given police about Blake’s behaviour as he had been able to turn his life around to the point they could now have a conversation. However, he was still facing the stalking charge and, after he appeared in court for his first hearing, he called her again.

Ms Farbrace added: “He called her a snitch and scum and said he was invincible and she blocked his number again.”

The court heard Blake had one other conviction for an actual bodily harm offence in 2001 for which he received a fine and that the CPS was asking for a restraining order to prevent him from contacting the woman again.

Donna Wilde, mitigating, told the court the restraining order was not opposed.

She added: “It was unacceptable behaviour, but he is now in a better place with his mental health and wants to get back to work full-time.”

Magistrates told Blake he had committed a serious offence and could be jailed.

However, because he had entered an early guilty plea and had a relatively good previous record, they could punish him by way of a high-level community order.

They placed Blake on a 24-month order which will see him complete a building better relationships course involving 29 sessions.

He was also ordered to complete 40 rehabilitation sessions and carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

They issued a two-year restraining order preventing him from contacting the woman or going near the school she works at.

He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £114 as well as £85 court costs. He will pay what he owes the court at a rate of £20 a month as he is currently on benefits.