A stalker who was remanded in custody because it was feared that he would contact his victim again called her just a few hours later – from prison.

Carla Cox burst into tears and hung up, but later told police: “I can’t believe that even when he is in prison he is still contacting me.”

Magistrates in Llandudno , who jailed Jonathan Edwards-Hughes for 16 weeks, heard that restraining orders were already in place preventing him from contacting three other victims of his stalking and harassment.

Edwards-Hughes, 36, appeared at a special court last Saturday when he pleaded guilty to stalking Miss Cox, whom he had met through a dating website.

He was refused bail pending a pre-sentence report but prosecutor James Neary told magistrates that at 5.40pm on Saturday he phoned Miss Cox and said: “Do you know where I am? I’m in prison.”

He told her: “I just want to say I’m sorry. I should not have called.”

The court heard their relationship began in April, 2016, but after 10 weeks Edwards-Hughes started becoming aggressive, accusing her of cheating on him.

Miss Cox ended the relationship after four months but he kept pressurizing her, so on June 23 this year she reported him to the police. On June 29 he called her 49 times and sent her 56 texts.

Despite her protestations he bombarded her with calls and texts, left balloons and flowers on her car and waited for her to finish work at a hairdresser’s in Russell Road, Rhyl.

Mr Neary said that to escape from him she went to stray with her sister in Kinmel Bay, but Edwards-Hughes was spotted driving up and down outside the house.

On July 9 the defendant’s mother contacted Miss Cox to apologise for his behaviour and said he had never been happier than when he was with her – but Mr Neary told the court that she had done the same thing in relation to his previous victims.

In one call Edwards-Hughes, an HGV driver, of Liddell Drive, Llandudno, suggested he would kill himself, and told Miss Cox: “Tell Mum and Dad I love them” – just as he had told previous victims.

In an impact statement Miss Cox, who had met him secretly on occasions because she knew that her family hated him, said: “His behaviour has become unbearable.”

She said she was shocked to learn from the police about his previous convictions – and as she left the police station Edwards-Hughes was waiting outside for her.

Mr Neary said that on his release from prison he had been ordered not to enter a romantic relationship within eight weeks, but he had done so within a week.

“There are currently three other victims being protected by the courts through restraining orders,” he said.

The court was told that Edwards-Hughes had been complying with community punishments but chairman Sandra Ogden-Jones said that only a custodial sentence was justified.

Edwards-Hughes was jailed for 16 weeks and ordered to pay Miss Cox compensation of 500 pounds. He must also pay costs of 85 pounds and a surcharge of 115 pounds.

The Bench also imposed a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting Miss Cox, entering Russell Road, Rhyl, or the Kinmel Bay road where her sister lives.