A 46-year-old man breached a restraining order by threatening his former partner, a court heard.

John Loveridge, from Caxton Close, must now pay more than £100 after admitting the charge when he appeared at Swindon Magistrates' Court.

Prosecutor Keith Ballinger explained that the former was at home when she received a call from Loveridge.

She recognised his voice and he began shouting at her because she had contacted his ill mother.

He said that if she ever did that again, he would "smash her face in".

She recorded the call and sent it to police, afraid for her safety and that of their two-year-old daughter.

When he was arrested and interviewed, Loveridge admitted calling her and threatening her.

Mr Ballinger then read out a statement from the victim in which she said: "When John called me it was totally out of the blue, I was very scared.

"He sounded really mad and I know when he gets mad he can turn violent, persistent and unpredictable, especially when he has been drinking.

"I'm constantly looking over my shoulder now and always on edge."

Emma Thacker defended Loveridge by emphasising that it was his first offence and revealing that the victim was trying to get a sum of money from him.

After trying to contact him repeatedly and failing, she tried calling his 90-year-old mother who had just been diagnosed with terminal bladder cancer.

Loveridge is unemployed and seeking carer's allowance as he cares for his mother around the clock.

Miss Thacker said: "He's been going through a very stressful time and he's very concerned about her. He made the phone call trying to protect his mother."

The money has since been paid to the injured party and the defendant already completed 60 hours of unpaid work and four of the 20 rehabilitation days as stipulated in a community order made by the court on December 20, 2016, imposed after Loveridge harassed his former partner in November last year.

Chairman of the bench Timothy Foster imposed a new community order for 12 months, with an extra 30 hours of unpaid work, and ordered Loveridge to pay £40 in costs plus a victim surcharge of £85.