A 44-year-old man has been fined £1,000 for harassing his estranged wife.

Shaun Robert Milligan pleaded guilty to the offence and was also ordered by magistrates to pay £125 prosecution costs.

We previously reported that, on June 2, police issued Milligan with a Police Information Notice (PIN), which is often issued as an initial warning in harassment type cases.

Despite this, on July 4, Milligan’s wife said that he asked her via text to meet him at Costa Coffee at the Sea Terminal.

She said she agreed but then left after he became aggressive.

She said he told her: ’I’ll catch him. I’ll find out who he is. I’ve got a score to settle.’

She said another time he blocked her car in at Spring Valley Road in Douglas and told her: ’He’s getting it. I know where he lives.’

The woman said Milligan had also called her from a phone box and said: ’You know it’s me. Stop threatening me with the police. I’m gonna break his jaw.’

Milligan, of Douglas Head, Douglas, was arrested on July 13 and when interviewed said he had received the PIN but had not read it, though he said he knew what it was about.

He claimed that he had = been in contact with his wife only after she had contacted him first and had only hoped to persuade her to come back to him.

He admitted he had made ’empty threats’ but said that there was no intent.

Defence advocate Stephen Wood entered a basis of plea for his client in which Milligan said he had not blocked his wife’s car in at Spring Valley Road and that it had been a chance encounter. He did however admit ringing her afterwards which would have meant he had broken the rules of the PIN.

’They were in the process of separating,’ said Mr Wood. ’Feeling were running high. This is not behaviour that my client ordinarily engages in.

’Since the incident he has moved on. He has got his own place to live and hasn’t been in contact with her. He has set up two new businesses and employs three individuals.

’This is a man who, in my submission, won’t be appearing before the court again.’

Magistrates ordered Milligan to pay the fine and costs at a rate of £100 per week.