A FATHER who subjected a woman to a nine month campaign of fear could not complete community punishment because of his addiction to drugs, a court heard.

Azhar Ali, 31, was given 180 hours community punishment in June last year after being convicted of harassment.

But Burnley Crown Court heard he completed only seven and a half hours work.

Judge Barbara Watson said the defendant had complied with a five year restraining order made at the same time and left his former partner alone. She said he had learned a lesson from the proceedings and revoked the community punishment order.

Judge Watson told the court the restraining order had the desired effect and gave Ali a 12 months conditional discharge.

Ali, of Hartington Street, Brierfield, appeared for breach of the community punishment order.

Richard Bennett, prosecuting for the probation service, said the relationship between the defendant and victim Leanne Sutcliffe had been stormy and she ended it.

Later she was in a car being driven on Hibson Road, Nelson, when Ali swerved on front, dragged her from the vehicle by her hair, pulled her into his car, locked her in and drove off punching and elbowing her around the face.

After that, the defendant kept going to her house and tried to get her to drop charges over the car incident. He also banged on her door, bombarded her with telephone calls and said if she did not allow him to visit he would threaten her with violence.

Mr Bennett said on another occasion, Ali kicked Miss Sutcliffe on the leg, tried to strangle her and pushed and prodded her until she picked up a knife to defend herself.

Ali also threatened to assault the mother of his child and to "have her done".