A man has been banned from contacting the Sussex-based glamour model Jordan after bombarding her with explicit letters and gifts.

But father-of-two Nigel Chapman, 55, last night said: "I could have wooed her."

The former Railtrack worker was arrested after sending explicit translations of ancient texts to the model - real name Katie Price - and finally visiting her Brighton home.

Police raided his house and found Press clippings of the model and a poster of her on his wall.

He was convicted of harassing her mother Amy, to whom he turned his attention when Jordan spurned his advances.

Yesterday magistrates served Chapman with a restraining order banning him from contacting either of them or going to their homes.

The Brighton court heard Amy Price received several letters between October last year and January this year addressed to Jordan.

Many contained sexually-explicit references to Greek mythology. Others contained gifts, including a pink thong.

Preston Dass, prosecuting, said: "What is very clear is this defendant developed what can only be described as an all-consuming and overwhelming obsession with Jordan.

"Mrs Price received what can only be described as a deluge of correspondence coming from this defendant.

"The contents of those letters can be described as intimate. They made numerous references to Mrs Price's daughter's professional life and indeed her personal life."

He told the court many of the letters contained translations from Greek plays, which had often been interpreted by Chapman in a sexual way.

Many of the letters had been delivered by hand and events culminated with Chapman calling at Mrs Price's house in Brighton.

Police were eventually called to investigate Chapman's activities and a search of his home found "substantial amounts" of material and cuttings relating to the model.

Andrew Selby, defending, said Amy Price had become an innocent victim in Chapman's desire to meet his idol.

"He deeply regrets causing harassment to Mrs Price although he will not accept that he caused any harassment to anybody else."

After the sentence was passed, Chapman said: "Now I'll just have to watch her from newspaper distance."

But he said he still wanted to meet her.

Neither Jordan nor her mother, who suffered a suspected heart attack at the weekend, were present yesterday when the sentence was passed.

Chapman, from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, said: "To me she is like a Greek muse, a dancer who inspired writers like Homer."

His said his love for Jordan began after his separation from his wife but denied he had become infatuated.

He said: "I need a girlfriend and Jordan's obviously not suitable for me so I'm going to try to find an ordinary one."

Magistrate Claire Brown said the two-year community rehabilitation and restraining order was made as a result of his excessive persistence, the offensive material and the fact he turned up at Mrs Price's home.

He was also ordered to pay £263 court costs. No compensation was awarded.