A LAW lecturer at Southampton Solent University began harassing a female student after she had dumped him, a court heard.

Paul Kavanagh had been warned by police to leave student Jacqueline Pickstock alone after she had ended their romance.

But he continued to send her e-mails and leave letters in her pigeon hole at the university, magistrates were told.

Kavanagh and the mature student met at the university where she was studying criminology and he was teaching.

The court heard that although the 31-year-old was not in any of his classes, the pair became involved in an intimate relationship around Easter last year, which she ended three months later.

But prosecutor Patrick Matthews told magistrates in Bournemouth yesterday that, Kavanagh “did not take kindly to the termination of the relationship and there followed an amount of contact she (the victim) found intolerable”.

The court heard how Kavanagh was sent a letter by Hampshire police warning him about his behaviour.

But the 46-year-old continued to send e-mails and leave letters in her pigeon hole at the university until the beginning of October 2007, Mr Matthews said.

Although none of the letters contained any threatening material, the victim was left upset about the “continuing trickle of contact”, he added.

Kavanagh, who has been suspended from his job, had been found guilty of harassment at a previous hearing but was sentenced yesterday.

He was ordered to serve a 12-month community order, 200 hours of community work and had a restraining order taken out to prevent him contacting the victim.

Magistrates also told him to pay £625 court costs.

Mr Roger Peach, representingd Kavanagh, who lives in Kimberley Close, Christchurch, said his clientwas only acting to enable them both to be comfortable in the university domain, where they were in close proximity.

Mr Peach added: “He is an intelligent man and he has learnt a tough lesson. He wants to get on with his life.”

He also said that Kavanagh had been suspended from his job, which is set to be reviewed by the university.

After the hearing a spokesman for Southampton Solent University said: “We have acted scrupulously to meet our obligations to both parties throughout this case.

“Following the completion of the court proceedings, we will be undertaking a review of the situation.”