A DAD-of-two who dumped his expectant partner for another woman then assaulted her and launched a Facebook campaign which left her terrified, a court heard.

Burnley magistrates were told how Daniel Jay Crook, 20, struck when Charlotte Martin, the mother of his two children, was 14 weeks pregnant and vulnerable.

She had been left ‘completely shocked’ when he dropped the bombshell he had found someone else, not long before.

Crook had started smoking cannabis, losing his temper and being abusive to the victim, calling her a bad mother.

The hearing was told how Crook turned up at Ms Martin's home and tried to take money from her handbag.

She took it off him and he grabbed her, pushed her towards the front door and hurled her mobile phone across the room.

Ms Martin left the area the next day and went to live with her mother in Blackpool.

The defendant then bombarded her with texts and Facebook messages, 'emotionally blackmailing her' over seeing the children and causing her to feel intimidated.

Crook told the victim he had seen her at the Sandcastle swimming pool in the resort, making her feel she was being watched and paranoid she was possibly being followed.

He also made threats to her brother. When the victim blocked him on the social networking site, he had made contact with her friend.

Crook, of Gladstone Street, Bacup, admitted assault by beating on July 2, harassment of Ms Martin and Jeanette Jones without violence on or between July 1 and July 30 and failing to surrender on August 13.

He was given a 12 month community order, with supervision and must pay £100 compensation, a £50 fine and a £60 victim surcharge.

The bench also imposed a 12 month restraining order, banning him from contacting the victim and from entering the Blackpool street where she lives.

Prosecutor Andrew Robinson said Crook and Ms Martin had been in a relationship for four years when he told her he was seeing somebody else.

The pair argued about money, with Crook telling her the £100 child tax credits she received could run the house and keep two children. She was left with red marks on her arms.

Mr Robinson said Crook sent Ms Martin between 20 and 30 text messages and several Facebook messages. One, on July 24, read: “I will be coming for my baby and be ready to have a taste of what you are sending me.” The victim was frightened Crook would hurt her and take the children.

The prosecutor continued: “She was terrified about the possibility of further violence and him turning up."

Laura Heywood, for Crook, said he ended the relationship, Ms Martin tried to prevent him from doing so and he accepted he grabbed her arms to push her out of the way.