A MAN who 'persistently' flouted a court order and continued to harass his ex-partner has been jailed.

Matthew Kirkby 'could not accept' his relationship was over, a court heard, and made the woman read his love letters before turning up at her home shouting abuse and banging on the door.

The 34-year-old of Hixet Wood, Charlbury appeared at Oxford Magistrates' Court today.

He pleaded guilty at that hearing to one count of breaching a non-molestation order and two of harassment by breaching a restraining order.

READ ALSO: England's coronavirus hospital death toll rises by 244.

Kirkby also admitted being in breach of a suspended sentence handed to him in March.

Outlining the case prosecutor Peter Ryman said the victim had been in a relationship with Kirkby for some 13 years.

They broke up and she described the relationship as 'abusive and controlling.'

Kirkby was made subject to a non-molestation order against her in January this year due to 'ongoing harassment.'

Mr Ryman said: "She made it clear there was no future with the relationship but he could not accept that."

Kirkby went on to to breach the order and continued to harass the woman.

In May he gave her a letter and made her read it while she was present, refusing to let her take them away.

He also made his father call her and read out a letter to her.

Those letters, prosecutors said, detailed 'how much he loves her, how upset he is that she is moving on.'

READ ALSO: 'Idiot' thief stole hundreds of pounds of alcohol in crime spree at Sainsbury's, Westgate, Oxford store.

The harassment culminated in an incident on Sunday night.

Prosecutors said Kirkby was drunk and had acted aggressively towards her when he spotted her earlier that day.

The court heard he told her 'whoever he is is going to f***ing get it' and said 'I would be f***ing scared if I was him.'

At about 9.30pm Kirkby went to the woman's home and began 'banging the door shouting "they are my f***ing kids in there."'

He tried to get through the door but it was locked and he left.

In mitigation David Pallett, defending, said that his client deserved full credit for the early guilty pleas to the offences.

He added that Kirkby denied the incident leading up to him coming to the woman's home address, where he is said to have hurled verbal abuse at his victim.

Mr Pallett went on to say that Kirkby - who had been working as a plasterer - 'doesn't know why' he decided to go to the address and said he was walking nearby at the time.

Sentencing, District Judge Kamlesh Rana said: "This period of time shows that you have no intention of complying with this order and the breach is persistent."

She said the previous suspended sentence would be activated and Kirkby was jailed a total of 44 weeks. He must also pay a victim surcharge.