AN army welfare officer who bombarded "distressed" female colleagues with sexual images and unwanted messages has been jailed for four months.

Tony Jackson, 45, was based in Tidworth when he harassed his first victim over the course of three years from May 2013 to June this year.

In a statement read out to the court, she said his behaviour had left her feeling terrified at work and that simple tasks had become overwhelming.

"I was at the top of my career and rank. Now I feel worthless," she said.

Jackson sent a second woman unwanted text and Facebook messages over seven months from November 2015 until June 2016.

He also touched her physically, but not in a sexual way, the court heard.

The victim said she had been terrified of Jackson knowing her whereabouts, even when she was at home.

The "constant pestering, suggestive remarks and unwanted offensive images" had had a huge impact on her life, she said.

Jackson, who no longer serves in the army but works for the Ministry of Defence, admitted both charges on October 28.

Defending, Asif Robbani said Jackson had initially regarded his behaviour as "work banter", and was now ashamed, embarrassed and very sorry.

Mr Robbani said: "Mr Jackson is absolutely adamant that if he had noticed the fact that they felt harassed or in danger or they didn't want messages any further, he would have stopped immediately.

"There was certainly a very limited understanding of the impact his actions were having on the two victims."

But prosecutor Nick Barr rejected this. He said: "Quite frankly it's fanciful to suggest that at no time was Mr Jackson aware of the effect it was having on these two girls.

"He has been told on numerous occasions not to carry out this type of behaviour. To suggest he was unaware of that is quite frankly misleading."

Sentencing Jackson to 16 weeks in custody for two counts of harassment without violence, magistrate Gail Chilcott said: "This was an abuse of your position of trust.

"There's the impact on the victims that has to be considered. It was a prolonged period of harassing and sexualised behaviour, including photographs.

"You ignored requests to stop. We have considered suspending this sentence but given the level of seriousness this is inappropriate in the is case."

Jackson, of Lister Road, Wroughton, was also handed a restraining order, banning him from contacting either victim indefinitely.

A police spokesman said after the hearing: "Jackson bombarded the victims with increasingly inappropriate messages, despite the women telling him that they weren't interested and wanted the behaviour to stop.

"His action caused the women a great deal of distress and made them feel extremely uneasy working with him."

Jackson also works as an MOD development officer for the The Prince's Trust and is a director of Level1 Training Ltd.

Colonel Nick Makin of the Army Welfare Service told the court the army had involved the police as soon as the problems were raised in the summer.

He said Jackson would no longer be able to work in the organisation and an internal investigation was "highly likely".