A WOMAN has been issued with a restraining order after admitting a charge of harassment against her ex-husband.

Rebecca Vowles, of Canford Cliffs Road in Poole, left three "abusive" voicemail messages for former partner Max Walker in November last year.

She also penned a Facebook post visible to her friends in which she referred to him as a "fraudster" and a "w*****".

The initial charge before the court also alleged that Vowles had sent a total of 78 text messages, several of which were abusive, although these allegations were not proceeded with.

Lee Turner, prosecuting at Bournemouth Magistrates' Court yesterday, said there are a significant number of "background issues" to the case, including the breakdown of the former couple's relationship.

He added that the charge relates to incidents in November and December of last year, and said the Facebook posting in particular "led to the public humiliation of Mr Walker" and that he was caused "humiliation, harassment and distress".

Vowles then sent her husband a copy of the posting, as well as a series of comments written by her friends underneath, Mr Turner said.

On November 19, three voicemails were left by Vowles on Mr Walker's voicemail in which she "made slanderous comments", the prosecutor added.

"The voicemails made reference to involvement with the police, HMRC, insolvency and his business partner John Bell."

He said the messages accused Mr Walker of being a "fraudster", which the complainant denies.

Vowles, 43, also called her former partner a "lying scumbag", made references to him driving a Bentley and a Range Rover, and said she hopes he "rots in hell".

Mitigating, Brendan Allen told magistrates: "There was a relationship breakdown.

"Ms Vowles remained in the family home. There were a number of court proceedings that then followed. As a result of [a hearing] before the county court, Ms Vowles leaves the messages and Facebook post.

"That really is the culmination of years of difficulties between the two of them and she says at that stage she just snapped."

He said the Facebook post was visible just to Vowles' friends on the social network.

"It made reference to what had been going on, reference to a financial dispute, reference to a dispute over their home," he said.

"It is humiliating for Mr Walker to be here and to have mention of the background of their relationship [made in open court]. It is also extremely humiliating for Ms Vowles to be here in the same situation. It is also humiliating for her to find herself convicted of a criminal offence."

The former couple appeared in the Daily Echo in 2009 when Mr Walker proposed with a giant message on the sail of his yacht Pavlova as the pair and their crew competed in that year's JPMorgan Asset Management Round-The-Island Race.

Presiding magistrate Roy Widdowson sentenced Vowles to a two-year restraining order, which will protect Mr Walker, his mother, sister, niece and a former partner.

The defendant was also ordered to pay a total of £315.