A man who made lewd phonecalls and sent sexual messages to two women after obtaining their details via an internet selling site has been handed a restraining order.

Jason Sinclair, 50, of Parr Road, Haverhill, appeared before magistrates in Ipswich on Thursday charged with two counts of harassment without violence.

Magistrates heard how Sinclair contacted the first victim after answering an advertisement for a dress for sale on internet site Gumtree on March 25.

Sinclair told the woman he wanted to view the dress and then asked if he could see it being worn.

The woman sent a picture of herself wearing the dress and exchanged details with Sinclair so that he could come to her house to see the dress.

A date was arranged and Sinclair then sent a message to the woman saying "You look so submissive" and "I hope whoever is next to you in the picture isn't there when I come over".

The woman replied that the man pictured was her husband and that he would be there. Sinclair then tried to change the date and the woman blocked his number.

On April 16, the woman received a further eight calls from a different number and on two occasions Sinclair intimated he was performing a sexual act while making the call, the court heard.

Further lewd messages were received using another different number and the woman notified the police.

A second woman, who also had a dress on sale on Gumtree, was contacted between April 6 and 7.

The woman also reported phonecalls of a sexual nature and lewd text messages.

Sinclair initially denied the charges before changing his plea to guilty on the day of his trial at King's Lynn Magistrates' Court on November 3.

Sinclair, who was not represented, told magistrates he had "sent some stupid messages" and that he "should be punished for what he had done".

"I don't know what else to say other than I'm really, really sorry," he added.

Magistrates sentenced Sinclair to an 18-month community order, with up to 50 Rehabilitation Activity (RA) days and 180 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £250 in compensation to each victim, £500 in costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

He was also given a two-year restraining order where he is not to contact either victim by any means.