A woman repeatedly breached a restraining order not to contact her ex-boyfriend by embarking on a campaign of harassment, a court heard.

Jayne Stone daubed the victim’s door with threats and on two occasions tampered with pipes to his gas supply.

A judge said of the 43-year-old mother: “I am getting a troubling picture.

“The basis of this is a relationship that has gone horribly wrong and she has sought to take revenge.

“The terribly difficult and worrying thing about this is what could have happened to him in light of her interfering with his gas box and the fear he has been living under.

“She has persistently broken a court order and committed offences while on bail.”

But Stone, of Regents Way, Kings Hill, West Malling, was spared jail and sentenced to 12 months suspended for two years with 150 hours unpaid work.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the couple met in 2010 and after the relationship ended in 2014 Stone was accused of criminal damage.

Magistrates acquitted her but made a restraining order for a year banning her from contacting the victim or going to his home in West Malling.

Prosecutor Robert Forrest said the father complained in February 2015 that Stone had on many occasions breached the order.

“The prosecution say the breaches were sinister and designed to cause maximum upset to him,” he said.

He returned home from work one evening in January to find she had written in indelible green on his door: “You are going to jail - jail, jail, jail. We are going to get you. You are going to die.”

He recognised her writing despite her using her right hand. She is left-handed.

Two weeks later she reported to the police that he had mistreated his dog. She accused him of cruelty to the pet in Facebook posts.

Later that day he found that his door had been covered in scratches and believed it had been “keyed”.

The next morning more threats had been daubed on his door.

On January 31, he was contacted by the mother of his two young children and told she had found the gas box open and attempts had been made to pull out pipes.

“In fact, happily, the pipes were not disconnected,” said Mr Forrest.

“The threats you were making caused him to genuinely believe he was unsafe as he went about his everyday life... you constantly and repeatedly cocked a snook to the law - Judge Philip Statman

Soon afterwards, he saw her hiding behind a fence and discovered the gas box had been tampered with again.

“He said he had been caused distress and anxiety and was getting concerned about the safety of him and his children, who had to leave the property because of his actions,” said Mr Forrest.

“He suffers from epilepsy and a seizure was brought on by her actions.”

The victim had blocked her on Facebook and she posted for “all and sundry” to see the comment: “Steal from my kids. I will cut you all over.”

Stone told a woman she assaulted she wanted her ex dead because he left her.

She added that she interfered with his gas box because she wanted him blown up.

A probation officer said Stone, who is receiving job seekers allowance, now accepted she went about things in the wrong way and needed help.

“The offences could have been catastrophic,” he added.

Nazmeem Imambaccus, defending, said Stone had been depressed and anxious.

“I am not trying to excuse her behaviour,” she said.

“Two years have passed since the offences and she has done her best to move forward.”

She had sold her property and was moving to Essex where her children were living with the father.

Judge Philip Statman told Stone, who admitted the breaches, assault and criminal damage: “There was sinister and significant behaviour in that on separate occasions it would appear you tampered with his gas box.

“It is sinister because you made remarks about what should happen to him. You wished him to die.

“This was vindictive and persistent conduct by you which led to him fearing for his safety.

“So much so, his children were placed away from their home.

“The threats you were making caused him to genuinely believe he was unsafe as he went about his everyday life.

“You constantly and repeatedly cocked a snook to the law.

“You completely disobeyed an order of the court and you knew well fine the maximum sentence for these offences is five years imprisonment.”

But the judge said it seemed after the offences were committed Stone decided life could not go on as it was and engaged in therapy.

“I have no hesitation in saying you richly deserve to go to prison,” he continued.

“I suspend the sentence for two reasons.

“Firstly, I am mindful of the fact you need to continue this improved relationship with your children.

“Secondly, I believe your position now is very different to that which it was when you committed these offences.”

Stone will be under a curfew from 8pm to 8am for six months and a restraining order was made for seven years.

Judge Statman warned if she broke the order again he would have no hesitation in sending her to prison “for a very long time indeed”.