A BESOTTED man bombarded his former partner with phone calls, text messages, gifts and abuse when their relationship ended.

Michael Coburn’s three-month campaign of harassment ended on Valentine’s Day when he sent Corinna Gawler a cuddly toy, chocolates, flowers and a CD.

Hours later, the 45-year-old took an overdose which brought him to the point of clinical death before he was resuscitated in an ambulance.

Coburn, of Beltinge Road, Herne Bay, was made the subject of a restraining order, after he admitted harassment, at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court.

James Nichols, prosecuting, said Coburn and Mrs Gawler had been in a relationship for 10 months which ended in November.

“She states that he failed to accept the relationship was over and sent text messages and made phone calls of an abusive nature,” Mr Nichols said. “She alerted police to this and Coburn was formally warned by officers.

“Coburn even rang while police were at her house, but when the officer picked up the phone, he hung up.”

On January 28, Coburn went to Mrs Gawler’s house and shouted abuse and threats through her letterbox in earshot of her children.

Another time, he passed her street.

“He glared at her and mouthed words in her direction,” Mr Nichols said.

“Police again warned him, but despite that he continued with this course of conduct.

“He sent her a text message on February 12 while she was at a friend’s funeral. It stated his love for her and contained a threat to commit suicide.

“She was angered and pleaded with him to stop.”

On Valentine’s Day Coburn sent flowers, chocolates, a teddy bear and a CD.

Later, he told her he was going to kill himself and that evening took 50 tablets of his medicine.

Coburn texted Mrs Gawler again and blamed her for the situation.

Mr Nichols added that the overdose brought him to the point of clinical death before he was resuscitated in an ambulance.

The magistrates fined Coburn £300 plus £60 costs and made him subject of a restraining order for five years.

Michael Coburn’s solicitor described the case as “pathetic in the truest sense of the word”.

“He was unable to accept the relationship had ended,” Mark Haskell told the court. My client does not enjoy particularly good mental health and what happened with the overdose was not some silly cry for help.

“His whole family has been exposed to an extremely upsetting situation.”

Mr Haskell added: “This has been a wake-up call to Mr Coburn and has caused him to re-evaluate his life.”