A MAN has been given a restraining order for sending his on-off girlfriend “relentless love letters”.

Gary Bartley sent Michaela Longstreeth dozens of letters after she tried to break off their relationship.

Street-drinker Bartley, 32, of Grand Parade, Brighton, was yesterday given a restraining order banning him from entering Robin Davis Close, where the woman lives, for six months.

Miss Longstreeth told police officers after reporting the crimes in May last year: “Not a single day goes past when he leaves me alone. I told him I don’t want to be with him anymore.

“Gary has ruined my life and cost me my home and now I’ve told the police I fear it will be worse.”

However, she told the court that while she wanted him banned from coming to her home, she did not want him to be completely banned from contacting her, as they are still a couple and regularly drink on the street together.

She attended court to support Bartley yesterday and they both left together before sharing a drink on the court steps.

Kevin Thomson, prosecuting, said Bartley began harassing Ms Longstreeth after she tried to end their relationship in April last year.

He said: “He would continue to try to make contact. The result was that she contacted the police.

“He would turn up at her address shouting and screaming.

“There came a time when the defendant went to prison for two weeks. Once he came out of prison she thought he had turned over a new leaf and they started to see each other again.

“However, the relationship ended again and the defendant would stand outside her address shouting up to her window.

“Also on occasion he would post letters through her door.

“It reached an extreme when the number of letters posted through her letter box reached 20 or 30.” Sarah Clark, defending Bartley, said: “They both drink in the same circles and are seen to be a couple in that circle.

“They are often both on the streets drinking together.

“The content of the letters wasn’t abusive. They were just very relentless love letters.”

Bartley was also given a 12-month community order, a 12 month supervision order and ordered to take part in an alcohol treatment programme.