Twisted Stephen Bell ridiculed the Renfrewshire woman for suffering miscarriages and attempting suicide.

In a series of disgusting texts he branded her “fat” and “disgusting” and said he hoped her children died in a plane crash.

And the 49-year-old repeatedly turned up at her house, used an iPad to record her in her home and parked his car across her drive, blocking her in.

Fearing for their safety the woman and a pal fled via the back door of her home. They scaled a fence as they tried to get away from Bell and the woman hurt herself in the process.

The details emerged this week as Bell sat in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court, having admitted charges that he terrorised the woman and a former partner.

Erin Campbell, prosecuting, told the court: “Between July 8 and 19, 2013, he sent her a vast amount of abusive texts which caused her upset and distress.

“He would text her every few minutes for hours at a time and, in one instance, sent her 26 messages.” In one message he wrote: “I hope your kids die in a plane accident.” Bell, of Hamilton, admitted engaging in a course of conduct which caused the woman to suffer fear or alarm by repeatedly turning up at her house, shouting through her letterbox, sitting outside and driving by the property, texting her children, sending a naked picture of her to her ex-husband and videoing her property.

He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive way towards an ex in his hometown of Hamilton by refusing to give her keys to their home, repeatedly threatening to throw her out, forcing her to leave and sending her offensive texts.

Aamer Anwar, defending, said Bell – a company manager – was “full of remorse and deeply ashamed” by his actions.

And the lawyer tried to lay blame on both of Bell’s victims.

He also said that “silent calls” Bell had received had been traced to the Renfrewshire woman’s home, but police had taken no action against her because she was the victim in this case.

Sheriff William Ireland praised Bell, a fist offender, for being of previous good character and working for the last 33 years.

But he said Bell had “deep seated problems which require to be addressed to protect women in the future”.

He was given an 18-month community payback order which requires him to attend the Change Project.

He was also given a non-harassment order, meaning he is banned from contacting his Renfrewshire victim or going near her home for the next two years.