FLOUTING a court’s restraining order through “abusive” contact with a woman he was banned from communicating with has earned a Carlisle man a jail term.

Nathan Morrison, 31, committed the offence on November 27 after initiating contact with the woman through Facebook messages, Carlisle’s Rickergate court was told. He was banned from having any contact under the terms of a restraining order.

It was imposed just a week earlier.

The defendant, of Peel Street, Carlisle, pleaded guilty to harassment by breaching the court order. Jailing him for seven weeks, magistrates said custody was justified because it was a deliberate breach and the defendant had a record for similar offending.

They added: “The nature of the contact was abusive.” The restraining order was extended by one year and will now end on November 19, 2025.

The defendant was cleared of three further offences: a second harassment charge, allegedly committed on November 20; an assault by beating against the same alleged victim; and a criminal damage charge, relating to a wall and necklace owned by the same woman.

Morrison must pay £85 prosecution costs.  Magistrates accepted that there was little or no harm caused to the victim.