A MAN who was banned by a court from having any contact with his former partner after violently assaulting her has been jailed for breaching the order twice in the space of four days.

Nicholas Clark had been handed a three-year non harassment order, and jailed for eight months, in March 2018, for the vicious attack on his ex, in which he pulled out some of her hair while she was holding a young child.

He received another eight-month sentence earlier this year after breaching the order by going to the woman’s home on March 1.

But it emerged last week that he had done so again on two occasions in less than a week in July.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court was told Clark had tried to avoid police by hiding down the side of a bed and in a wardrobe.

Clark, 30, was brought from custody to the dock last Friday to be sentenced for the latest two breaches, which happened on July 21 and 24.

His lawyer said Clark and his ex wanted to resume their relationship.

Fiscal depute Meghan Glancey told the court: “On July 21, the complainer phoned the accused and invited him to spend the day with her in Duntocher.

“During the day they consumed alcohol, which led the complainer to phone the police.

“They attended and observed the accused attempting to hide down the side of a bed.

“On seeing police he said ‘aye, all right, I’m not supposed to be here - there’s a non harassment order in place but neither of us want it’.”

Clark was arrested, cautioned and charged, and pleaded guilty to the breach when he appeared in court the next day.

Sentence was deferred for a background report and Clark was released on bail on a number of conditions - one of which specified that he should not enter the jurisdiction of Dumbarton Sheriff Court except for court appearances.

But just three days later, the mother of Clark’s ex contacted police to say that he was at the same Duntocher property with her daughter - and when officers went to the home, they found Clark hiding in a wardrobe in one of the bedrooms.

He was again arrested, cautioned and charged before being brought back to court the next day, when he was remanded in custody.

Defence solicitor Martin Hughes told Sheriff William Gallacher: “It’s clear from the circumstances of both offences that the parties wish to be together. But your Lordship will quite properly point out that that is not their decision to make.

“She expresses a desire to be in a relationship, and expresses some frustration that the court order dictates otherwise.

“He accepted responsibility at the first available opportunity in both cases.”

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Court papers gave Clark’s address as a property in Kilmallie Road in Fort William, but Mr Hughes said his client had lost that address after being remanded in custody, and said his client planned to return to the West Dunbartonshire area on his release.

Sheriff Gallacher told Clark: “In all the circumstances I can’t deal with this matter in any way other than a custodial sentence.”

Clark was jailed for four months for the first breach and another eight months for the second.