A Harry Potter actor has been cleared of harassment.

Ashley Artus, 47, of Viaduct Road, Brighton, who played one of Lord Voldemort’s Death Eaters in one of the films, was accused of posting personal information about a woman on Twitter and sending messages to her via work colleagues.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court the actor had the charges against him dropped, but a restraining order was imposed stopping him from tweeting about the woman.

The court heard Artus, who featured in Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire, was accused of harassing former friend Lynne Wilmot between July and September 2017.

Rio Pahlavanpour, prosecuting, making an application for the restraining order, said Ms Wilmot had blocked Artus on social media before someone with a different name began contacting her with messages similar to the ones previously received in 2015.

A message was also sent to Ms Wilmot’s work colleagues, telling them she was being taken to court for abuse, slander and defamation of character.

Mr Pahlavanpour said: “On Artus’s Twitter account there were a number of messages found accusing Wilmot of self-harming and he said the reason for her self-harming was because he would not be intimate with her.”

He added Ms Wilmot did not want to seek a criminal prosecution against Artus.

Christopher Maynard, defending, said: “The defendant does not dispute the tweets were sent. His view is they were sent in private conversation with his friends and not viewable by the complainant. The complainant did not want to take it to trial, but sought the Crown’s view on a restraining order.

“It is very much the case he does not want any contact at all. It was very much a breakdown of a friendship which both parties needed to walk away from.”

Judge Tessa Szagun said: “You do accept the tweets were posted by you albeit you thought it was on private platform. You accept such comment in terms they were made would cause harassment and distress and that is something she wants protection from in the future.”

Under the restraining order he is not allowed to contact Ms Wilmot, talk about her on social media or talk about her to mutual acquaintances.

Charges of harassment without violence, which he pleaded not guilty to, were dropped and Artus did not receive a criminal conviction.

Artus played wizard Walden Macnair who was one of Lord Voldemort’s early Death Eaters. Lord Voldemort is the arch-nemesis of Harry Potter and villain of the J K Rowling books.

Speaking to The Argus, Artus said the tweets were sent on a private account, but were shared by “disloyal friends”.

He added: “I am very pleased with the outcome. I’m pleased I said ‘not guilty’ four months ago and I stand by that. I’m very pleased the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute me.

“I feel it is important we discuss why the UK Government is not working with Twitter and Facebook to work out what is printable and what is not.”

Artus has also starred in The Bill, Holby City and A Touch Of Frost.