A MAN who bombarded his neighbour with abusive and threatening text messages has been jailed.

Robert Maudling, 39, warned Jan Clarke "I'm going to do you in" and told her "Watch your back" during a series of texts.

Ms Clarke said she was shocked and frightened during her three day ordeal in January, which did not stop even when Maudling was warned by the police to leave her alone.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how just hours after being cautioned by officers Maudling sent Ms Clarke a text saying: "I can't believe what you have done Jan, makes things much harder. Ready for round two, bring it on."

Maudling had met Ms Clarke while they were both staying at a guest house in Beach Road, South Shields, South Tyneside.

They had known each other for less than a month when he started the harrassment.

Ms Clarke told officers she was particularly disturbed when using the shared faciliites at the guest house in case she bumped into him.

The court heard how Maudling had been spared jail in December last year for a similar campaign against his former girlfriend.

In 1995 he was jailed for four years for making threats to kill, false imprisonment and affray.

Mr Recorder Hatton jailed Maudling, who admitted harrassment, for 10 months.

The judge told him: "Over a period of three days you sent text messages to this lady which were threatening and grossly offensive.

"She was, naturally, terrified."

Maudling, of Thornton Avenue, South Shields, was also given a restraining order to stay away from Ms Clarke for the next five years.