A woman accused of breaching a restraining order for her former partner by contacting him and calling him had been doing a form of bullying, he told the police.

But Michaela Hall, her solicitor Fred Howell told Truro magistrates, did what she did in response to a number of calls and texts from him. She accused him of exaggerating to the police to cause her as much problems as possible.

Hall, 44, of New Portreath Road, Redruth, pleaded guilty to contacting Jeremy Hobkirk and attending an address in Ponsanooth, in breach of a restraining order made at Truro Crown Court , following difficulties between the couple.

Alison May, for the CPS, said in February late at night, Hall had made calls to Mr Hobkirk and become more aggressive in them, with comments about him and his new partner.

She said she would be coming to collect the children, and after he said he would call the police, she arrived at his door, refusing to leave, saying he was a bad father. She did leave.

When officers spoke to her she said Mr Hobkirk was using the children to get at her.

Mr Hobkirk told the police Hall had been controlling him from a distance and using the children as a weapon, and he was receiving constant threats of violence and harassment from her. He said her behaviour was a form of bullying him.

Hall had no previous convictions.

Mr Howell told the magistrates she was quite firm that she would not be contacting Mr Hobkirk in future.

He had sent her text messages, and telephone calls between them had occasionally lasted for an hour. She accepted she was wrong in her breaches but it had been in response to his approach.

“He exaggerated to cause her as much problem as possible” he suggested.

Hall was given a conditional discharge for a year and had to pay £100 costs and charges.