AN OBSESSIVE stalker confronted his estranged wife outside her work just days after he was told to stop by the courts.

Darren Lambert-King was given a community order after bombarding his ex-wife with messages and setting up a fake account in her name on a swingers website.

But just two days later the 30-year-old resumed his campaign of stalking when he was spotted outside his victim’s work.

The woman, who was travelling with a male friend for safety, was cornered by Lambert-King who blocked the path of their car with his motorbike.

The male got out of the car and attempted to grab the motorbike keys but Lambert-King pushed him away.

His terrified victim remained in the car and called the police, as Lambert-King began kicking the vehicle.

This week Lambert-King, of Shetland Close, Totton, was jailed for 18 months by Judge Nicholas Rowland.

Southampton Crown Court heard how Lambert-King’s campaign of stalking began following the breakdown of their short marriage.

Siobhan Lindsey, prosecuting, said Lambert-King’s victim had taken an early flight home from their trip to Tenerife after she became aware of his controlling behaviour – which included him banning her from going to the toilet on her own.

His wife ended the relationship and told him to leave her alone.

But Lambert-King continued to appear outside her work, bombarded her with social media messages and created a fake account in her name on a swingers website, from which she received “unwanted and unwelcome messages”.

Lambert-King also sent numerous requests under false names on social media accounts in an attempt to speak his ex.

In December, he was given an 18-month community order after pleading guilty to harassment.

But just two days later, on December 22, he was spotted outside his victim’s work.

Siobhan Lindsey, prosecuting, said the stalking campaign had left its victim “depressed, suicidal, harassed and worried”.

Ms Lindsey added that the woman was taking lifts “everywhere” for her safety and had been forced to move home.

Mitigating, Mark Florida-James said his client “did not take rejection well” and was troubled by the death of his mother last year.

Lambert-King, who has four previous convictions for stalking previous partners, pleaded guilty to harassment, assault, criminal damage and breaching his community order.

Sentencing Lambert-King, Judge Nicholas Rowland said: “What you did was to continue to stalk your estranged wife within days of that last sentence being imposed,” he said. “There seems to me to be an escalation in violence.”

The judge also imposed an indefinite restraining order, banning Lambert-King from contacting his victim, or coming within 100 metres of her work or home.