MICHAEL Murray ensured he got his ex-wife's attention by blocking her in with his skip lorry after she stopped outside a shop on her way to work.

But Blackburn magistrates heard his unwanted advances were in breach of a restraining order imposed by the court to protect nurse Julie Veevers. Murray, 40, of King Street, Blackburn, admitted breaching a restraining order and was given a conditional discharge for 12 months.

Lisa Worsley, prosecuting, said the order banned Murray from communicating with his ex-wife or approaching within 200 metres of her home address.

On the day of the incident she had been leaving for work at about 7.40am and as she reversed off the drive, noticed a skip lorry. She noticed the vehicle again as she drove along Openshaw drive and when she pulled up outside the Spar shop the lorry pulled in behind her.

Miss Veevers got out of her car but when she saw Murray walking towards her, got back in and locked the doors.

"He banged on the window and said he wanted to speak to her," said Ms Worsley. "She eventually agreed to get out if he backed away. At this stage she was very afraid and was anxious to pacify him."

Michael Blacklidge, defending, said access and contact with the couple's son had been thorny issues between them over the past 12 months.

It had been coincidence that Murray had come across his ex-wife at that time in the morning and while he did not accept blocking her in or banging on the car windows, he did accept talking to Miss Veevers and accepted that he should not have done.