A MAN who called his ex-partner 200 times only a week after he was released from prison has been put back behind bars.

Darren Cranmer, 41, breached a restraining order against his ex-partner in May and June 2023, and again in February 2024.

He had previously been serving a jail term before he was released from custody on May 23 this year, only for him to start contacting the victim again eight days later.

Cranmer was due for sentence last month when he was heard to say “scumbag” when the victim’s name was mentioned in court.

The force - police officersThe force - police officers (Image: Submitted) He also accused the victim of having fabricated her account to police, saying: “She’s made all this up.”

The hearing was adjourned so further material could be provided to the court, and Cranmer returned to Ipswich Crown Court, which was sitting at Colchester Magistrates’ Court, on Friday.

The court heard Cranmer made around 200 calls to his victim and obscured his mobile number before the woman answered one of the calls and recognised Cranmer’s voice.

When interviewed by police, Cranmer, of Larch Close, Colchester, refused to provide the police access to his phone and later denied the offence in interview.

He later admitted one charge of breaching a restraining order after a conviction.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she has been “unable to sleep and eat” because of how anxious she became when her phone rings.

She is now undergoing weekly therapy, the court heard.

Simeon Wallis, mitigating, said Cranmer’s low IQ scores showed his condition was “akin to autism”.

He said that while in custody for his last offence, Cranmer had completed a rail engineering awareness course and biohazard removal work.

Judge Richard Kelly told the court he considered Cranmer was still at risk of offending and classed the incident as a domestic abuse case because the defendant had previously been in a relationship with the victim.

He said he “impressed” by how Cranmer had used his time in custody at HMP Chelmsford before sentencing him to a jail term of two years and three months.

The judge also imposed a five-year restraining order preventing Cranmer from contacting his victim.