Man jailed after he sent abusive texts

Daniel Ward, 30, of Windsor Grove, Morecambe, appeared before Preston Crown Court where he admitted harassment.

The messages became abusive towards her suggesting she was selling drugs.

Prosecuting, Paul Cummings described how in the run up to the offence he had turned up unannounced in the early hours of the morning, banging on her door.

During the harassment in August, he sent a string of messages swearing at her and accusing her of dealing drugs. Increasingly upsetting messages told her “police were going to arrest her”.

He said: “ This relates to his former partner.

“There were a series of messages sent to her – 16 in all.

“The messages became abusive towards her suggesting she was selling drugs.”

Ward also admitted two thefts from shops in Heysham.

It comes a few months after Ward narrowly avoided jail over a dangerous pursuit in which he got behind the wheel of a car when drunk, and veered onto the wrong side of the road as he tried to evade officers.

Defending, Darren Halsted said: “ The defendant’s position at the time of the dangerous driving came from a long standing drink and drug problem that followed the death of his father in 2013, leaving him with some residual anger and distress.

“He drunk more and more.”