Powys man admits contacting ex - against court ruling

Timothy Owen, 36, pleaded guilty to contacting Katrina Whinnery on multiple occasions in Llanymynech between February 9 and April 25 last year.

He admitted the charge of breaching a 12-month non-molestation order only five days after it was imposed by Wolverhampton Family Court.

Welshpool Magistrates' Court heard on February 14 that Owen intends to pursue his basis of plea at a Newton hearing which will take place on May 31.

The Newton hearing will test Owen's claim that the pair continued to message each other while the non-molestation order was active.

He has a substantially different version of events to those as told by the prosecution.

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Owain Jones, acting for Owen, agreed adding that there was a “material difference” between the defence and prosecutions version of events, with the defendant claiming the messages were part of a mutual exchange - which she denies.

"However contact has been made through mobile phone throughout," Mr Jones said. "There might need to be an expert."

Magistrates fixed a date for the Newton hearing for May 31 and granted Owen, of Holly Grove, Wrexham, conditional bail.

Dr Rachel Jones, chair, told Owen: "You must not contact Katrina, no messaging, no going to see her save for childcare arrangements.

"You have to be very careful so noting is misinterpreted. You're free to go but remember everything."