A "JEALOUS and controlling" man who used the Pokemon Go gaming app to contact his ex-partner after being banned from contacting her has been jailed for 20 months.  

Theo Waldron from The Meads, Hildersley, Ross-on-Wye admitted a charge of engaging in coercive or controlling behaviour in an intimate relationship over an 18-month period when he appeared at worcester Crown Court.

The 36-year-old grabbed her neck, pinned her down with his hand over her mouth, gripped her face, and removed her electronic devices, the court heard.

Waldron, whose real name and history weren't known to the woman, also examnined her internet history, told her to delete contacts from her phone, stopped her from going out, and controlled her money and work arrangements.

Claire Harris, prosecuting, the relationship began in April 2022, and during it the defendant demanded she leave her home and family, threatened to kill her if she defied him and made threats to harm or kill himself.

A statement read to the court by the victim said: "I was stressed and I felt unsafe. I felt the whole relationship wasn't real. I didn't know his real name or who he was."

Andrew Davidson, defending, told the court Waldron suffered mental health issues and had expressed remorse, although a psychiatrist's report denied evidence of a mental health disorder and said Waldron believed he had done nothing wrong.

His barrister claimed he had also done work in the community, including flower arranging.

"This is not sophisticated. This is a toxic relationship with a man controlling a woman.

"He didn't stop her from seeing her friends entirely. Jealousy was the root of the problem."

Jailing Waldron, Judge Nicholas Cole told Waldron he had shown "outrageous behaviour" to his former partner to "maximise fear or distress".

Waldron was also barred from contacting the woman for 10 years.