A Bournemouth woman who beat up her married lover outside his gym after he ended their affair has avoided jail.

Louise Price, 39, stalked and harassed cheating David Phillips for months after he told her he just wanted to be friends.

She bombarded the property manager with abusive texts and phone calls and followed him twice in her car.

Matters came to a head when Price tailed Mr Phillips to Stokewood Road gym where she confronted him in the car park, called him a 'liar' and punched him 'four or five' times in the face.

The father-of-three went to the police and Price was charged with harassing him between March and August this year, which she pleaded guilty to.

Price, a supermarket worker of St Boniface Gardens, Redhill, said she met Mr Phillips in a pub in 2015 and the pair began having an on-off affair that lasted for three years.

Magistrates heard he called off the affair earlier this year after realising it was a mistake.

Lee Turner, prosecuting, said: "He realised it was a mistake and wanted to end it.

"He told her he wanted to just be friends but she wanted more out of the relationship.

"He eventually left his wife and the defendant perceived that as a sign to start the relationship again but Mr Phillips says that wasn't his intention.

"From that point onwards the attention really increased, he had a minimum of ten calls a day from the defendant.

"Voicemails started to turn abusive, she sent five or six text messages a day. Sometimes, to keep the peace, he would respond but kept physical contact to a minimum."

Mr Turner said that on April 19 Price followed Mr Phillips in her car and when he stopped at traffic lights she got out and tried to pull his door open.

He added: "On April 25 he went to his gym. He parked his car and got out. He turned to see the defendant and she started shouting, calling him a liar and a cheat.

"She punched him four or five times in the face, that's accepted.

"There were further voicemails on April 28. He said the sheer volume of messages was intimidating."

The court heard Mr Phillips reported Price to the police in May and although she was spoken to, he continued getting nuisance phone calls.

Mr Turner said: "In August he was driving along with his daughters and saw the defendant following him. He didn't think it was a chance encounter."

Nicola Jinks, defending, said: "It's always very sad when a relationship breaks down and one party doesn't want it to end but the other does - and that's what's happened here.

"She had an affair with Mr Phillips and there came a point that he left his wife.

"He said to her [Price] 'just be patient, I need to sort some things out, get my head clear and tie up loose ends with my marriage but wait, we will be together at some point'.

"She was waiting and when it became clear that wasn't going to happen, her emotions took over and she behaved in a way that wasn't acceptable."

Magistrates in Poole said the offences were "very serious" and they had grappled with the issue of whether to send her to prison but decided not to.

They sentenced Price to a 12-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation days, as well as ordering her to pay £170 costs and £100 compensation to Mr Phillips for the distress caused.

The magistrates also made a two-year restraining order banning her from contacting him in any way.