A stalker has been banned from contacting a woman after he lurked outside her place of work.

Piers Woodward, 30, of Michel Grove, Worthing, appeared at Croydon Magistrates’ Court where he was jailed for 18 weeks, suspended for two years, and given a restraining order and curfew, supervision order and ordered to pay £680 in costs.

Woodward's victim contacted police in July 2013 after he began to turn up at her place of work in Croydon.

When speaking to officers, the now 23-year-old woman explained that she had initially met Woodward whilst she was working in an Italian ski resort in early 2012.

Woodward sent her several friend requests and messages via Facebook asking her to call him, to which she did not reply. However, Woodward managed to obtain her mobile phone number and called her several times and sent several text messages.

The calls and contact died down after Woodward called the victim's mobile, which was answered by her friends and he was told it no longer belonged to her.

However, in February 2013, several bouquets of flowers and chocolates arrived at the victim's place of work, even though the victim had not told Woodward where she worked.

Finally, in July 2013, as she arrived at work, the victim saw Woodward waiting on a bench outside with another gift for her. He began to try and talk to her and give her the gift, but left when a work colleague intervened.

Six days later, he returned to her place of work in the evening, again wanting to speak to her. They had a brief conversation, before the victim said she had to leave. She then attended Croydon police station, where she reported Woodward's actions to officers, concerned that they were escalating and concerned for her own safety.

He was convicted of stalking following a trial.