A 52-YEAR-OLD man who bombarded his ex-partner with late night phone calls was jailed for 28 days after pleading guilty to harassment.

Blackburn Magistrates Court heard James Alexander Green had previously been made subject to a restraining order protecting the same woman from his advances.

But Basharat Ditta, defending, said the relationship between the two was on and off and neither party seemed to know what they wanted.

"This lady blows hot and cold. My client has been left not knowing whether he's coming or going," said Mr Ditta.

Green, of Shetland Close, Blackburn, pleaded to harassment and as well as the jail term was made subject to an order restraining him from contacting or approaching Yvonne O'Flynn for three years.

Neil White, prosecuting, said the phone calls were made four days after a previous restraining order had been revoked. He said that in the course of an hour Green had phoned Miss O'Flynn 14 times and the calls became more abusive.

Mr Ditta said there was no suggestion of any violence or threats of violence and the calls, made in drink, had arisen out of his desire to reconcile their relationship.

"There was nothing so intimidating in the calls that Miss O'Flynn sought immediate assistance from the police," said Mr Ditta. "She thought about it and made a complaint the following day.

"My client told the police he still had feelings for Miss O'Flynn and when they had seen each other eight weeks before this incident it seemed she had feelings for him. This was not someone seeking revenge or retribution.

"He was trying to reconcile the relationship and he was able to show the police text messages sent to him by Miss O'Flynn suggestive of a reconciliation."

The court was told Miss O'Flynn recently moved to a house opposite Green's home. Mr Ditta said this was not the action of someone who feared his client.