A JILTED ex who breached a non-molestation order by leaving letters for his former partner and following her “dangerously” in his car has been warned he could be sent to prison.

It only took nine days for Robert Riches, 41, to breach an order banning him from contacting his wife.

After the order was served on September 11, he breached it on three occasions, Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard.

Louise Maples, prosecuting, described how in the first incident, on September 20, he left a letter on the windscreen of his wife’s car.

He followed that up with a second letter which was handwritten and delivered by the pair’s teenage daughter.

Miss Maples told Colchester Magistrates’ Court: “On September 25, the suspect waited outside the victim’s workplace, where he attempted to obstruct her getting into her vehicle and tried to speak to her.

“He then followed her in his own vehicle, driving dangerously behind her.

“In interview, he said he received the order, but didn’t read it or understand it.”

Riches, who has four previous convictions for eight offences, admitted three counts of breaching a non-molestation order when he appeared at court.

In a victim statement, his wife said: “These incidents have been escalating since the letter was left on my car.

“Now he is using my daughter.

“I am feeling extra concious about leaving my property and going to work.”

Representing himself at Colchester Court, Riches claimed he only made the repeated attempts to contact her because he felt he was owed an explanation.

“It was really hard for me after 17 years to break up when I had no explanations or nothing from my wife,” he said.

“I just wanted to speak to her and get some answers as to why she left me.

“All I got when she left me was ‘We are done’ - that’s it.

“After 17 years that is hard to take.

“I wasn’t trying to be malicious, I didn’t stop her getting in her vehicle or obstruct her from getting in the vehicle.

“I said I only wanted to speak to her for five minutes, that’s it.

“I haven’t been anywhere near her since.

“When I pick my children up, on five occasions she has come downstairs from her flat to come past me.

“She’s breaking her own order.”

The chairman of the bench at the court said the case was too serious for a sentence to be passed by magistrates.

Sentencing was adjourned until a hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on January 30.

Riches, of Monkwick Avenue, Colchester, was released on unconditional bail in the meantime.