THREATENING phone calls were made to a woman after a brief liaison with a married man during a stag night out at a North-East seaside resort.

Scores of abusive calls were made over the following months to the victim's home in Durham, and the food store where she worked, from the man and his wife.

Durham Crown Court heard that in some of the calls, Keith and Elaine Winn threatened the woman. In others, they claimed they knew where her daughter went to school.

The Winns, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, threatened to drive to Durham to "torch" her car and home.

Despite a police warning in August last year, the calls continued until that November, when they were arrested.

Jonathan Aitken, prosecuting, said the calls began after the victim and a friend met a stag party from Rotherham, including Keith Winn, during a night out in Whitley Bay.

Mr Aitken described it as "an innocuous social evening", towards the end of which the woman and Winn "engaged in kissing".

But he said no phone numbers or addresses were exchanged and, as far as the woman was concerned, "that was the end of it".

Martin Robertshaw, mitigating for 42-year-old Keith Winn, said there has been no further incidents in the past 13 months, and he urged Judge Peter Armstrong "to let sleeping dogs lie".

Mr Robertshaw said Winn was of good character and lived with his wife and their four children, aged 14 to 21, in Rotherham, where they are partners in an embroidery business.

Christine Egerton, for 41-year-old Elaine Winn, said her temper got the better of her "in the emotional rollercoaster" after the stag trip, leading to her making the calls.

The Winns, of Broom, Rotherham, who admitted harassment, were both fined £400, with £460 costs. A restraining order was made prohibiting them from contacting the woman or entering her work place for a year.