A SPORTSMAN bombarded a woman with thousands of calls and text messages when she said she did not want a relationship with him.

David Standing avoided being locked up when a judge heard that he would lose his job and contact with his son.

The 35-year-old was given a five-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and 120 hours of unpaid community work.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, said he had been impressed by references from Standing's brother and a Hartlepool rugby club.

But the judge told him: "You behaved in quite an intolerable fashion. You clearly had a problem with drink at the time."

Teesside Crown Court heard how the woman got 2,300 phone calls before she went to court to seek a non-molestation order.

Yet, the harassment did not stop, and a further 500-plus messages and calls followed, prosecutor Louise Reevell, said.

Shortly after 1am one morning, there were 15 missed calls and another 20 later the same day, Miss Reevell told the court.

Standing, of Turnberry Grove, Hartlepool, admitted harassment and two charges of breaching the non-molestation order.

He was also ordered to pay £150 towards the court costs, and carry out a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days.