A RYDE man's harassment of his ex-partner was so severe he used his own children 'as weapons to intimidate the victim'.

Adam Churches, of West Hill Road, appeared before Isle of Wight magistrates on Thursday (January 6).

The 38-year-old admitted harassment without violence in St Helens and Ryde, between September 4 and September 8, 2021.

Prosecutor, Ann Smout, told the court the victim had been in a relationship with Churches and the pair had two children together.

She said the harassment began when the victim woke up at 1.30am to find Churches standing over her wanting to speak.

The court heard at 9am, Churches sent her 29 messages, saying he wanted to kill himself, and demanding her attention, money and information, in relation to a van.

Ms Smout said the victim also received 24 missed calls, and once she blocked him, he turned up announced at the home address the next day asking her to reconsider.

Ms Smout said the victim did as requested, but Churches tried to call her 21 times during a lunch break, and turned up at her place of work unannounced.

The bench was told Churches continued to message and call constantly, and it all culminated when he pulled up in front of the victim as she was leaving her place of work.

Ms Smout said he arrived with their children inside the car, and said they told him they wanted their mum and dad to get back together.

When the victim got into her van to leave, Ms Smout said Churches zoomed in front of her and started shouting.

She said the children got into the victim's van, at which point Churches shouted he was going to drive off a cliff and it was all her fault.

The court heard Churches later jumped in front of the victim's van, trying to cause a scene, and a short while later drove on the wrong side of the road to overtake her, swerving toward her van and making it seem as though he was going to hit her.

Ms Smout said the last contact from Churches was indirect. She said the victim found a strip of photobooth photographs posted through a letter box.

Churches' face had been covered in black ink and the word 'deleted' had been written at the top of the strip.

The victim said she did not feel safe, was worried Churches could turn up at any point, and he had made her feel hopeless, helpless and suicidal.

Ms Smout told the bench the case of harassment was particularly severe, as Churches had used the children as weapons to intimidate the victim.

Henry Farley, defending, said the couple had been in the habit of letting each other into their houses, but accepted Churches' sadness and the shockwaves of the breakup had crossed the line into criminal behaviour.

The victim had been talking about taking the children to India for some months, and Churches was upset and not in agreement.

Mr Farley said it was his habit, and a family habit, to ring lots of times, and the situation was not as scary as it was dressed up to be.

Churches' case was adjourned to February 7 for sentencing, and a pre-sentence report was ordered.

He was granted conditional bail in the interim.