A MAN is spending Christmas waiting to learn if he will be jailed after breaching a court order banning him from contacting his former girlfriend.

Ian Richard Cox, 35, broke a two-year restraining order imposed by York Crown Court when he contacted Kim Kilner through the social networking site Facebook on November 27.

It was the second time he had defied the court within six months. The first time a judge locked him up – and when magistrates adjourned the Facebook case, they warned him all sentencing options remained open including a second jail sentence and being sent back to Crown Court for sentence.

Cox, of Cornlands Road, Acomb, York, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order made on May 8, banning him from all contact by any means with Ms Kilner. He will learn his fate on January 15.

Sandra White, prosecuting, told York Magistrates, Cox’s first message included the words: “I want you to be happy baby, take care, I am crying now”.

In her reply, Ms Kilner said she would not contact police, and added: “Please don’t contact me again, my heart can’t take it, it hurts.”

But he sent her five more messages in quick succession, and police were called. Cox was jailed in July for breaching the restraining order which was imposed after he admitted assaulting Ms Kilner.

Vicky Latham, representing Cox, said the original message had been seven lines long and had not been threatening and Ms Kilner’s reply had been 13 lines long.

“Unfortunately, he continued with a further five messages within a short period of time, but non- threatening,” she said. “There have been no messages since.”

Cox was released on bail with a condition not to contact Ms Kilner in any way, including through Facebook. The restraining order remains in force.