A MARRIED mother-of-three was left scared by a stream of text messages from a man she had a brief sexual relationship with, a court heard.

Magistrates were told that Norman Farron, 53, had emotionally blackmailed the Ilkley woman, saying he would kill himself, and threatening to tell her family about them.

The victim was left panic stricken when she saw Farron in the centre of Ilkley as she spoke to police on her phone after he told her he had travelled from his home in Kent to see her.

Prosecutor Nadine Clough told Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court yesterday that the woman, who had been married for 29 years and lived in Ilkley with her husband and one of their children, told police she loved her husband but they had been having difficulties.

She entered into online conversations with Farron, who she had not met and did not know. The contact between them was sporadic.

Miss Clough said the complainant realised, on September 14 this year, that she had two messages from balding, bearded Farron on her iPhone. She sent a reply and they began contacting each other daily.

Miss Clough said the messages became flirty on both sides and they would call each other. They also sent each other sexual photos, and on September 22 they agreed to meet.

The complainant went to London and when there were difficulties with catching a train home she agreed to go to Farron's home in Dover, where they had sexual relations.

She returned home the next day and they continued to message each other.

Miss Clough said Farron sent the woman 79 text messages on September 30, to which she replied to 52, she received 50 texts and calls the next day and 48 text messages the day after.

Some messages referred to him moving to West Yorkshire to be with her and he asked where she was and why she wasn't talking to him.

"She felt he was trying to blackmail her emotionally," said Miss Clough. "He made comments that if she didn't do what he wanted he would kill himself. She was worried."

He told her he was coming to Ilkley to kill himself and some messages said he would tell her family. "She was really scared and frightened," said Miss Clough. She said the woman was at work when she began to receive text messages from Farron, saying he was in Ilkley.

He then sent a message, including her address, telling her he knew where she lived and her home number.

Miss Clough said: "She was really worried. She left work and contacted the police. While she walked in Station Road, still on the phone to police, she saw him, three or four metres away. She was panic stricken. She didn't know what to do and turned to a passing man and asked if he could help. Farron ran off and the woman went to the police."

Farron, of Victoria Court, Dover, pleaded guilty to harassment without violence. He was given a two-year community order, with a 60-day rehabilitation activity requirement, 40 hours of unpaid work, and a two-year restraining order preventing him from contacting the complainant or entering Ilkley.