A man who posted insulting messages about a psychic on a community Facebook page has been banned from contacting her.

Michael Coleman, who holds a stalking conviction, accused the victim of being a fraud in postings made on the Cleckheaton Matters site.

Their relationship soured after the woman told Coleman about her communications with his dead father, Kirklees magistrates were told.

Today (April 19) the 48-year-old was today banned from any further contact with her, including online and via social media, indefinitely.

He pleaded guilty to harassing her between February 16 and March 10 through unwanted texts and voicemails and by posting derogatory messages about her on Facebook.

Linda Fowler, prosecuting, told Kirklees magistrates that Coleman and the 50-year-old had met a couple of items and she described him as an acquaintance.

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Then early this year Coleman’s father died and she became concerned about how he was speaking to her.

Mrs Fowler said: “She believed he was lecturing her, referring to the Bible and trying to twist her words.

“He made allegations that she supported Hitler and she thought that his behaviour was strange.”

Then during a trip to Germany the victim turned on her phone and noticed that she’d had a number of texts from Coleman, of Turnsteads Drive in Cleakheaton, in which he said he was getting very bored of how she was treating him.

Magistrates were told that she then blocked his number and stopped relying to his Facebook messages.

On February 16 a friend contacted her about some posts she’d seen on the Cleckheaton Matters page written by Colemen.

Mrs Fowler said: “He made reference to her claiming disability benefit which he alleged she was not entitled to. He called her a con artist and a fraud.”

The following day she reported Coleman to police and he was given a harassment warning not to contact her.

But she continued to receive messages from him, calling her ‘darling’ and saying that he missed her.

Coleman also sent the victim’s daughter a Facebook message, making false allegations about her mother to her, Mrs Fowler said.

He appeared at the Huddersfield court via a prison video link after being remanded a week ago for breaching his bail conditions not to contact her twice.

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On one occasion he hand delivered her a “forgive me” greetings card containing £50 in cash inside.

In November 2013 Coleman was convicted after a trial of stalking an ex-girlfriend after she discovered him doing her gardening in breach of an official order to leave her alone.

Paul Blanchard, mitigating, told magistrates his client was adamant that he was in a relationship with the woman, who works as a spiritualist and psychic.

He said: “She professed that she could communicate with his father and that upset Mr Coleman to the extent that the relationship has broken down.

“The postings on Cleckheaton matters were him warning that this lady was a fraud and a charlatan.

“He was warning people that she wasn’t what she was professing to be. That it (her behaviour) was manipulative and wrong.”

Mr Blanchard added that the woman was claiming benefits despite running a business as a psychic.

Magistrates made an indefinite restraining order banning Coleman from contacting her via any means, including social media and online forums, and from going to her Cleckheaton home.

He must complete 80 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge.