A MAN who did not comply with a restraining order by sending “seriously unpleasant” messages to his former wife in Llandudno has been jailed.

Richard Pennock, 46, of St David’s Park, Ewloe, was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment at Caernarfon Crown Court today (October 4).

He had previously admitted, at a plea and trial preparation hearing, a charge of breaching a restraining order.

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Prosecuting, Jade Tufail told the court that, in November 2021, Pennock was given a four-year restraining order, preventing him from contacting his ex-wife, Samantha Pickard, or entering her Llandudno street.

But on May 14, Pennock sent her two emails, the contents of which included him writing: “I love you”, “stop telling b******s and get on with your life”, “I’ll always be around”, and “you’re mine and I’m yours”.

On July 24, Ms Pickard received 24 missed phone calls from Pennock, as well as a further 53 within the space of six days in August.

Pennock also sent her Facebook messages, including: “are you mental?”, “hurry the f*** up”, and “I’m coming to yours – be prepared”.

He was later arrested, before giving police a prepared statement, in which he said that contact made via telephone was only to their children, and never directly to Ms Pickard.

She and Pennock had four children together, two of which are allowed contact with him through social services or the family court.

Ms Pickard “doesn’t want to have any more contact” with Pennock, and had changed her phone number earlier this year due to previous breaches.

Her anxiety went “spiralling through the roof” as Pennock “harassed” her, she said.

Pennock had 13 previous convictions for 23 offences, including for stalking Ms Pickard, which resulted in the restraining order being issued.

Of those 13 convictions, two were for previous breaches of the order.

Defending, Simon Killeen said Pennock has lost employment, was homeless for a period of time, and has become more dependent on alcohol.

But he asked the court for a reduced prison sentence, saying that he has “good prospects of employment”, as well as “a number of real opportunities” once he has served his jail term.

“He does, and can, help the family financially,” Mr Killeen added.

Sentencing, Recorder Wyn Lloyd-Jones described Pennock’s messages as “seriously unpleasant”, and his missed calls to Ms Pickard as “very upsetting”.

The restraining order was extended to 10 years from today, while Pennock will also pay a statutory surcharge.

Recorder Lloyd-Jones told him: “She doesn’t want this kind of contact from you. It’s had a significant effect upon her, I have no doubt at all.

“She has had to live with this over and over. She’s entitled to find somebody new and to have her (own) life.”