A Watford man has been sent to prison for 20 months after mounting a campaign of harassment against an ex-girlfriend.

Wayne Barber, 26, bombarded the woman with abusive and threatening text messages and even turned up at her place of work in Watford.

At St Albans crown court on Wednesday, Judge Martin Griffith was told Barber, of Fernley Street, Watford, had behaved in a similar fashion towards another ex-girlfriend.

In court Barber sat head bowed as prosecutor Mark Wyeth told how he had formed a relationship with Natasha Fountain which had last between 18 months and two years.

However, in early 2007 things began to go wrong and it came to an end By November of last year, said Mr Wyeth, Barber was acting in an irrational and threatening manner towards his ex.

The court heard just after midnight on November 11 last year he sent her a text message calling her a "lying slut"

The following day he sent another one to her in which he said "If I see you out I will make sure you don't see me until there is a glass in your neck".

In fact Barber did see her again a few days later at a nightclub in Hemel Hempstead when he barged his way into the female toilets to snatch a phone from Miss Fountain.

The court heard throughout November and December he plagued her with calls and text messages.

Then on December 12 last year he went to her place of work in Watford where he pushed and shoved her to the ground during an argument.

Karen Walton defending, said Barber was now full of remorse and shame for what he had done.

Barber admitted a charge of harassment when he appeared in court.

The court heard he had previously assaulted another ex-girlfriend in similar circumstances and at the time of the offence concerning Miss Fountain had been the subject of a five month suspended prison sentence.

Judge Griffith jailed Barber for 16 months for the offence of harassment and said he was activating four of the five month suspended sentence to run consecutively to it, making 20 months in all.

The judge also told Barber he would be the subject of a restraining order for the next five years which prevents him from contacting Miss Fountain.