A man bombarded his estranged wife with unwanted calls and texts in frustration after he was denied access to his son, a court heard.
Some of the messages sent by Johannes Van-Deventer were threatening and abusive and his ex told how these frightened her.
The 44-year-old pleaded guilty to harassment when he appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.
He sent his former wife of 12 years numerous texts and then left her eight voicemail messages within a 20-hour period which were described as offensive and obscene.
In one of these he called Adele Van-Deventer an “evil and demented” and urged her to watch her back in one voicemail message.
She said that his “loose cannon” behaviour left her feeling scared and reluctant to leave the house.
Van-Deventer had two previous convictions for harassing, also involving his ex, on his record.
His solicitor Saf Salam said that his client’s behaviour was triggered by a decline in his relationship with his 14-year-old son, who he had not seen since last October.
He said that he was upset over this and suggestions of changing his son’s surname as he viewed his South African lineage as important.
Mr Salam added: “He knows that he’s sent some deeply unpleasant messages and accepts that the behaviour is such that it harassed the complainant.”
Magistrates sentenced Van-Deventer, of Aireworth Road in Keighley, to 12 weeks in jail suspended for a year,
They made a two-year restraining order banning him from contacting his ex or going to her Outlane home.
