A MAN has admitted breaching a restraining order by sending messages to his former partner on three separate occasions.

Blackburn magistrates heard one of the messages was about football and should have gone to a friend but Craig Calvert accepted it still represented a breach of the restraining order.

Calvert, 60, of Greave Fold, Bacup, pleaded guilty to breaching the order on July 31, August 8 and August 21. He was remanded on bail for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said the restraining order was imposed in December and prohibited Calvert from having any contact with his former partner or entering any Ladbrokes betting office in Lancashire.

On the first occasion she received two messages and on the second saw him outside the Ladbrokes shop in Bacup where she was working. He stared through the window and when she got home she found messages from him.

The final message referred to Manchester United and mentioned a match against one of the Sheffield teams.

Mark Williams, defending, said none of the messages was in any way threatening or abusive.

"His real concern in all this is that he hasn't been allowed to see his children for some considerable time now," said Mr Williams.

"He has done the right thing and gone through the courts but it has still not been resolved."

Mr Williams said of the first two messages only one was intended for his client's former partner and the final message, about football, had also gone to the wrong person.

"It had absolutely nothing to do with her but he accepts she received it and it was from him and therefore an offence is committed," said Mr Williams.