A man who followed a 17-year-old girl on his bike, leaving her disgusted and frightened by his obscenity and persistence, even going after her when she went into hospital for treatment, could not remember anything about it, a court has heard.

Timothy Edward Courtney, 40, of Wesley Street, Heamoor, Penzance, was seriously worried by this, his solicitor Mark Charnley said, telling Truro magistrates his client had volunteered himself for help.

Courtney pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour towards the teenager, causing her harassment, alarm or distress on December 15; and to harassing Sarah Scott during February and March at Penzance by sending messages on Twitter.

Alison May for the CPS said the teenager had been going to hospital in Penzance to have an injury seen to when she began to feel uneasy about Courtney, who was pushing a bike uncomfortably close to her. He rode it right up to her, and told her he was there because he was a man and she was a young girl, trying to shake her hand, and then making an obscene sexual remark to her. She said she was disgusted and told him to leave, but he kept riding around her, eventually following her inside the hospital, where he stuck his tongue out and began randomly screaming. She was frightened and ran out of his sight, waiting there until he had gone.

Ms May said the police had received a number of reports about Courtney, from shops where he had been seen covered in blood, and a leisure centre, and he had been known to be self-harming.

The offence against Ms Scott followed the ending of their five- year relationship last year. He started sending her Twitter messages, calling her a psychopath, using bullying language, and sending pictures of his genitals, together with pornographic images, and a photograph of two people having sex.

One photograph he sent was of himself holding a scalpel blade, with blood nearby, and others of himself after self-harming, and also of his naked genitals.

She told the police she could not work because of fearing for her safety and was in constant panic because of him.

He had previous convictions for violence, possessing an offensive weapon, battery, and drink-related offences.

His solicitor Mark Charnley said Courtney was the first to acknowledge these incidents were not nice. He was seriously worried about the incident with the teenager as he had no recollection of it. It had taken place when he was drinking very heavily, and had been a warning light that something was not right with his alcohol consumption, persuading him to voluntarily seek help.

Mr Charnley told the magistrates it was all a bit tragic for him because he was not an unintelligent man, leaving school with six GCSEs.

He said he led a solitary life, bored and lonely, which was fertile ground for alcohol offending. He was ashamed of his behaviour, and had been without alcohol for several weeks.

Courtney was given a four month prison sentence suspended for two years; a restraining order for three years not to contact Ms Scott or go to her home in Par, or make social media references to her; and a criminal behaviour order for three years with a number of prohibitions.

Chairman Roger Cargeeg told him: “We have listened to all that you are trying to do for yourself and what other people are trying to do for you. You are very fortunate you are not going to prison today.”

Courtney had to pay £250 costs and charges and £250 each in compensation to the two females.