A Lowestoft man who was banned by a court from contacting his former girlfriend arranged a meeting with her after setting up a fake Facebook account pretending to be an old schoolfriend, a court was told.

Patrick Robinson, 37, of London Road South, appeared before magistrates in March charged with threatening behaviour and was made the subject of a restraining order that banned him from contacting his ex.

But Robert Sadd, prosecuting, told Ipswich Crown Court that Robinson had appeared in court on June 1 for breaching the order and on June 17 he contacted the woman to arrange a meeting after setting up a fake Facebook account posing as someone who had been at school with her and had been in the army.

Robinson admitted breaching a restraining order and was given a 20-week jail sentence suspended for a year.

Sentencing him, Judge David Goodin said the meeting Robinson set up was a flagrant breach of the order.

Steven Dyble, for Robinson, said the woman involved had resumed her relationship with Robinson in May and had visited him despite the restraining order being in place.

However, they had a row and the police were called. Robinson appeared in court and was fined £500 and ordered to serve one day detention for breaching the restraining order.

The offence on June 17 had happened while the couple were not seeing each other.

Mr Dyble said Robinson's relationship with the woman was now history and he had no desire to contact her.

The court heard that Robinson had been in custody since June 17.