A man sent 8,000 emails to his former partner in six months, a court has heard.

Richard Dack, 38, of Locksley Road in Norwich, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order at Norwich Magistrates Court on Friday.

The order was put in place after Dack sent more than 8,000 in six months, the court heard.

Keiran Dumphey, mitigating, said Dack was "really ashamed" he ended up in court and that the enormity of the situation had "hit him in the face".

Mr Dumphey disputed that it was possible to send 8,000 emails in six months, and urged magistrates to give the father of two a conditional discharge.

Chairman of the bench Jeanie Heale said magistrates agreed, and would "go outside normal guidelines" to issue a six-month conditional discharge, describing Dack as a man of good character.