A PINEHURST dad accused of assaulting his former partner broke bail by sending her messages on social media site Instagram.

Jack David Thornhill had denied sending the messages, which threatened to publish nude photographs of the young woman.

Defending, Mark Glendenning said the accusations against his 22-year-old client were malicious and backed-up by little proof save for two witness statements from Thornhill’s former partner. Alleged messages had been deleted by the woman, magistrates were told.

In a statement from the woman, read out in court by prosecutor Greg Dono, she said Thornhill had sent her at least seven messages in under an hour. He had threatened to publish nude photographs she had sent him when they were an item unless she told him who her current boyfriend was, she told police.

She said: “This incident has left me feeling very upset, angry and made me very low.

"If he has posted those pictures they are out there for everybody who follows Jack to see."

Magistrates agreed with the prosecution case that bail conditions not to contact his former partner had been breached.

Thornhill, of Poplar Avenue, was remanded in custody until August 23, when he is due to be sentenced for the assault on his former partner. He has already pleaded guilty to the assault charge.

The court heard Thornhill is also under investigation by police, after his former partner alleged he had posted nude photographs of her on the social media site Instagram.