A jilted lover who couldn't accept his relationship was over stalked his former partner for almost a year, prompting her to instal a doorbell camera.

Mark Nicholls, from Medway, struggled to come to terms with the end of his 10-year romance in September 2019, and bombarded his ex with gifts, flowers and love letters.

A court was told the 51-year-old's persistent behaviour eventually left his victim unable to sleep and prompted her to install a Ring video doorbell after various sightings of him outsider her home.

The couple had initially remained on good terms after the woman broke off the relationship during the pandemic.

But when she told Nicholls she no longer wanted to hear from him or talk to him, he continued to bombard the woman with unwanted letters, flowers and cards.

His former partner contacted police and he was later arrested and charged with stalking.

Nicholls, of Pump Lane, Rainham, admitted stalking the woman between June 2021 and May 2022 when he appeared before Medway Magistrates' Court on January 18.

The court heard after the woman broke off all contact with him in July 2021, she received 19 letters and cards on various occasions which had either been posted through her door or sent in the post.

Terry Knox prosecuting said: "He also sent Costa Coffee packages, flowers and posted on Facebook that he wished he could go back in time."

Mr Knox also told the court in January last year she spotted him near her home after she finished a fitness class and the next day received another letter from him.

In desperation the woman asked a mutual friend to give Nicholls a call to have a word with him and the friend asked him to stay away from her and not to contact her.

Mr Knox added: "He told the friend he was just checking the woman was not with another man."

The court heard after she contacted the police about the matter in February 2022, Nicholls continued to drive past her home in Rainham.

He was even seen on one occasion turning round and driving past her home again.

Magistrates were told Nicholls had been spotted near her home at various times during April and May last year and some of the victim's family had seen him lurking about in an alleyway behind her home.

Mr Knox said the woman was so affected by his actions she bought a Ring video doorbell which she put up at the back of her home and Nicholls had been recorded on it.

The prosecutor said: "On May 28 (2022) he could be seen walking along the alleyway and hunching down to look in the window."

The court also heard the woman had become very anxious about his behaviour, had changed her routine, and had not been sleeping very well.

Magistrates were also told Nicholls wrote various posts on Facebook about the couple's break up and carried out persistent actions over a prolonged period.

Defending himself, Nicholls, who was of previous good character, told the court he had still believed they were trying to fix their relationship after the break-up because they were still talking.

"I made a big mistake losing her, I lost my job, I lost everything."

He said: "I could not get my head around it. I hit rock bottom. I never meant any harm to her, I just wanted to be with her.

"I made a big mistake losing her, I lost my job, I lost everything."

Magistrates decided to place Nicholls, who is now working as a car dealership service manager, on a 12 month community order which will see him complete 80 hours of unpaid work.

He must also complete 10 rehabilitation sessions with probation and pay a victim surcharge of £95 and £85 costs.

A restraining order was also issued banning Nicholls from contacting the woman for a year.