Police who forced their way into a burned-out flat in Penzance found a man and a woman inside who were banned from seeing each other by a court order.

The woman was distressed and unhappy when she reluctantly approached officers and the man was found under a duvet in a soot-filled bedroom.

At Truro Magistrates’ Court Ian Eustace, 41, staying at a bail hostel at East Hill, Tuckingmill, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order by contacting Zoe Daly and breaching a post sentence supervision order.

Alison May, for the CPS, said Ms Daly was considered a vulnerable victim who had been subject to violence from Eustace in the past. A restraining order was made in May to prevent him from going to her address in Hayle or contacting her.

Eustace told the police that while he had gone to the flat to assess the damage to his home Ms Daly had arrived. “I was stupid," he said. "She came in, and things kicked off."

He had previous convictions which included harassment of Ms Daly for which he had been sent to prison for ten weeks.

His solicitor, Robin Smith, said someone had set fire to the flat while Eustace was in prison and he went there on his release to try and recover some of this possessions. That was when Ms Daly walked in on him.

Neither of them had wanted the restraining order, said Mr Smith, and this was the third time it had been breached. Each time it was Ms Daly who had sought out Eustace, the court heard.

He said there was no evidence of what happened at the flat between the two, but it had to be accepted there was no unpleasantness by Eustace towards the woman.

Eustace was sent to prison for 14 weeks.