A man who sent threatening messages to his former partner was caught wandering along the street carrying a knife.

Oliver Basham appeared at Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Monday to admit possession of a knife in public and sending messages with intent to cause distress or anxiety.

The 32-year-old, of Eastgate Street, Bury St Edmunds, left three abusive messages on the phone of his former partner in the early hours of December 27.

The court heard Basham followed up the calls with abusive text messages to the woman, who had ended their relationship because of his class A drug use.

He then sent another message and turned up outside the woman's address to shout threats about her new partner.

Basham sent another message conveying a similar threat, before contacting a family friend, who alerted Basham's mother, who in turn told the police she supported prosecution of her son because he needed help for alcohol and drug abuse.

Just after 2pm on December 27, police received reports of a man carrying an orange-handled folding pocket knife in one hand and a bottle of whisky in the other along Fornham Road.

Prosecutor Wayne Ablett said Basham was arrested by an officer who arrived at the scene, drew their Taser and ordered him to drop the knife.

He said Basham told the officer: "I've walked from Eastgate Street with a knife and it took you that long to get here."

Mr Ablett told magistrates Basham had one previous conviction for drug-driving in May 2018.

Jacqueline Upton, mitigating, said: "He accepts these are serious matters and is very remorseful.

"He accepts the tone of the messages was not good, and tells me he got upset because his girlfriend was seeing someone else."

She said Basham had issues with drugs but was not a regular user, and asked magistrates to order a pre-sentence report from the probation service.

Basham then told the court: "Having seen what I said and did, it's a big shock."

Magistrates committed sentencing to Ipswich Crown Court on a date to be fixed.

Basham was released on conditional bail and told not to enter Suffolk unless meeting the probation service or attending court.