A SCAFFOLDER has been warned that he will be locked up if he continues to harass his former girlfriend after twice breaching a restraining order.

Paul Proudlock threatened to kill Robyn Gibson's father if she went ahead with a prosecution against him, Teesside Crown Court heard today (November 26).

Proudlock, 21, was given the restraining order in October last year after assaulting Miss Gibson – when he threw her to the ground and kicked her.

In May, he breached the order by approaching his ex-partner, and while on bail for that offence, in August he threatened her again in a pub.

Prosecutor Rebecca Brown said Proudlock, of Eskdale Road, Hartlepool, asked Miss Gibson: “Will you drop the charges if I give you £1,000?”

The victim said she felt intimidated and her former boyfriend's attitude changed when she told him 'no', Miss Brown told Judge Peter Armstrong.

“He turned nasty and said 'right, I'm going to kill your dad and you',” Miss Brown said. “She describes herself as feeling frightened after that.

“He then left the pub and she was approached by a female – presumably at his request – because she said 'Paul said will you drop the charges'.”

Proudlock returned a few minutes later and shouted at Miss Gibson, who was put in a taxi by friends so she could get away from the town centre.

During the earlier breach, he followed his former partner in a car to her home, and yelled at her: “What did I tell you about going to the police?”

Miss Brown told the court he left in his vehicle after warning Miss Gibson: “I told you about what would happen to you. I'll kill you.”

Proudlock admitted breaching the restraining order and was given a four-month suspended prison sentence with supervision and a curfew.

Judge Armstrong also re-imposed the order to prevent him from going to Miss Gibson's home or workplace or going within 100m of her.

The judge told him: “She doesn't want anything to do with you, and you mustn't have anything to do with her. You will end up going back into prison.”

Paul Cleasby, mitigating, said the two months Proudlock has spent in jail on remand have helped him understand he has to stay away from Miss Gibson.

“There appears to be a positive sea-change in his attitude,” said Mr Cleasby. “He has had a significant period in custody to reflect on his behaviour.

“He blames nobody now but himself. He is a young man not without intelligence. He has a lot of positives if he can deal with his emotional immaturity.”