AN ARMED forces veteran from Workington has been warned to expect a jail sentence after he admitted an assault, a stalking offence and flouting a restraining order.

Steven Daniel Sloan, 38, appearing before Carlisle Crown Court via a video link from prison, committed all three offences against the same woman in Barrow and Workington.

He originally denied any wrongdoing but then changed his pleas to guilty.

The stalking allegation relates to his behaviour over between December 2 and December 17 last year, when the charge states that Sloan caused the woman "serious alarm or distress" by persistently emailing her from a personal email address and other addresses purporting it was his family members.

This caused the woman "significant anxiety and distress" and had a negative effect on her day-to-day life.

The defendant, of Clifton Court, Workington, assaulted the same woman in Barrow by beating her on December 2.

The third charge was a breach of a restraining order that was imposed by a court on October 26 last year to prevent the defendant contacting the woman.

He began committing this offence on the day the order was imposed, continuing until December 17, the court heard. The offence consisted of him sending her emails, text messages, snap-chats and making phone calls, which were all prohibited by the restraining order.

Defence lawyer Sean Harkin told Carlisle Crown Court that a background report should be prepared on Sloan.

The lawyer told Judge Richard Archer: "The community order [which was earlier imposed on the defendant] hadn't had time to impact on his behaviour.

"He says prison has been something of a salutary experience and not one he wants to repeat... He does have issues of bereavement and he served in the armed forces and has trauma as a result of that.

"He'd welcome the help the Probation Service would offer him."

Judge Archer told the defendant: "Steven Daniel Sloan, you have pleaded guilty and it is not possible to sentence you today because of a request for a pre-sentence report, though I am far from convinced that that one is strictly necessary. You should not take that as an indication of my sentence.

"It seems almost inevitable that you will receive an immediate custodial sentence. "It seems to me you ought to prepare yourself for an immediate custodial sentence."

Sloan will be sentenced on February 17.

In the meantime, he will remain remanded in custody, said the judge.