SPURNED lover Robert Skinner threatened to burn his ex-girlfriend s house down during a three-month campaign of harassment. He went to Anthea Cavey s home in the early hours of the morning, shouted abuse through the letter box, and threatened to torch her

SPURNED lover Robert Skinner threatened to burn his ex-girlfriend's house down during a three-month campaign of harassment.

He went to Anthea Cavey's home in the early hours of the morning, shouted abuse through the letter box, and threatened to torch her home.

At Ely courthouse on Thursday, magistrates were told that Skinner had found the break-up of the couple's relationship hard to accept, and he wanted to win Ms Cavey back.

Forty-one-year-old Skinner admitted two charges of harassment, and the court heard examples of his behaviour.

* He followed Ms Cavey out of school and followed her to the end of the road

* At their children's school, Skinner stared at Ms Cavey, and followed her.

* He sent a bunch of flowers, with one bloom for each day they had spent apart

* Skinner visited her home and peered through the blinds

* He made phone calls, complaining that she was seeing someone else.

* Skinner sent 60 text messages to his ex-partner in one week, claiming they had come from someone called "Chris."

Solicitor Michael Judkins said single parent Skinner, of Mepal Road, Sutton, had been in a relationship with Anthea Cavey for almost a year.

"The relationship ended suddenly, and he found it hard to accept," explained Mr Judkins. "After the end of the relationship, he resorted to a course of conduct that was more of a nuisance than anything else. He wanted to approach her, and hoped she would have a change of heart."

Mr Judkins said the arson threat was more serious, and was made when Skinner knew Ms Cavey's new partner was in her home.

"He made those remarks when he was angry, he said it in the heat of the moment," added Mr Judkins. "He had no means to carry out the threat."

The series of 60 text messages was "bizarre," said Mr Judkins, Skinner had wanted Ms Cavey to be inconvenienced by his juvenile behaviour.

Unusually, Skinner and Ms Cavey are about to resume their relationship, he added, and are due to move to the south coast.

"This was an isolated series of events; it was an acute reaction to the end of a relationship he treasured.

Skinner, who already owes more than £1,800 in court fines, was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £95 costs.