A FAMILY man who could not cope with the end of his relationship bombarded his former partner with messages on Facebook, a court heard.

Father-of-four John Hopps begged his ex-girlfriend to take him back and said he would never be able to cope with her being with anyone else.

In one message on the social networking website, the window cleaner, 32, said: “I love you. Being without you is the worst time of my life.”

Teesside Crown Court heard that in July, this year, Hopps’ former partner was granted a court order to stop him harassing or contacting her.

But within a month, he had breached the conditions twice with Facebook messages and by driving past her mother’s home.

His barrister, Kieran Rainey, told Judge Simon Bourne-Arton that he has now come to accept that the relationship is over.

Mr Rainey said: “Under the terms of the order, he did not realise that he should not have sent the rather sad begging letters that he did.

“This is essentially a relationship that has come to a juddering end, very sadly so because there are four children involved.

“It is simply now a case of finding a way to allow this family to work together.”

Hopps, of Denmark Street, Darlington, admitted two breaches of a non-molestation order and was given a community order with unpaid work.

Judge Bourne-Arton told him: “It is clear to me and I hope it is clear to you that this relationship is at an end.”