A MAN banned from contacting his ex-partner phoned her and asked: “Why did you get me arrested?”

Curtis James Knott’s criminal communication with Lisa Donnison came just a fortnight after he was released from a prison term imposed for a previous offence against her.

“Miss Donnison says that over a year ago she was involved in a relationship with the defendant,” prosecutor Tom Snape told Carlisle magistrates. “She said that relationship lasted about four months.

“Following the breakdown of that relationship the defendant pursued a course of conduct amounting to harassment and was subsequently convicted by the court.”

Knott, 29, was jailed and received a restraining order which banned him from contacting her, directly or indirectly, “by any means whatsoever”.

“He was made subject to a prison sentence at that time, for a period of six months,” said Mr Snape. “He has been released early from that sentence due to Covid-19 provisions.”

But late on May 20 Miss Donnison received two phone calls from a withheld number, the first lasting 12 seconds and silent.

“It rang again almost immediately,” said Mr Snape. “She picked the phone up a second time, and the defendant’s voice said ‘Lisa, it’s me; why did you get me arrested?’. She said the defendant continued to speak to her, asking about what had gone on previously. She told him she didn’t want to continue with that.”

In an impact statement, Miss Donnison said: “The incident left me highly stressed and in tears once I realised it was Curtis calling me. I am very worried this will be the start of his behaviour again now that he has left prison.”

Knott, of Sandersons Croft, Kirkby Thore, admitted flouting the restraining order.

Sara Budniak, defending, suggested it was a “mild breach” in a “moment of weakness”. “My client does accept the distress it has caused to Miss Donnison and he does put forward his full apologies,” said Ms Budniak. “He is trying to get his life back on track.”

Magistrates jailed Knott for 10 weeks, concluding it was a “deliberate” breach.