UNREQUITED love turned a single mother into a stalker, a court heard yesterday.

For almost three months, Shirelle Hinds followed her ex-boyfriend by car, phones him up to 70 times a day, left notes on his car and even had a message broadcast on a local radio station.

Caroline Midgley, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates that Hinds, 24, of Harewood Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, ignored a police warning to stop harassing security officer Paul Dunbar, who had ended their month-long casual relationship.

Hinds was given a formal police warning, but the next day she followed Mr Dunbar's car twice. He was also woken by Hinds banging on his back door, so he called police to arrest her.

Mrs Midgley said Mr Dunbar changed his car, moved from his Harrogate home to stay with friends nearby and got a new mobile phone number because of her behaviour.

Hinds pleaded guilty to harassment and was given a conditional discharge for a year, subject to a restraining order banning her from all contact with Mr Dunbar for the same period. She was ordered to pay £70.

In mitigation, Simon Berger said Hinds was ashamed, but Mr Dunbar had never said the relationship was at an end, and she wanted to know where she stood.

"Sadly, she went the wrong way about sorting it out," he said.