A 62-YEAR-OLD Hawick man who repeatedly sent a woman messages of a sexual nature has been given a night-time home curfew for the next four months.

Terry Tinsley pleaded guilty to the offence which happened at his Eastfield Road home on December 16.

Depute fiscal India McLean told Jedburgh Sheriff Court Tinsley visited a friend who lived in the same street as the woman.

She described how the woman was in her bed when she heard her letterbox rattling.

When she went downstairs she saw a piece of paper had been put through the letterbox.

Ms McLean said it was a handwritten note from Tinsley with his address and phone number on it.

The fiscal continued: ”The note suggested she should have sexual intercourse with him.

“The following day the woman sent him a text message saying, ‘I think you have the wrong person’.

“But the accused replied saying he did not have the wrong person.

“A number of other messages were sent and the woman blocked his number.”

Ms McLean said that on April 5 at 10.30pm the woman returned home and saw a packet hanging from her letterbox.

It contained three pairs of women’s underwear.

The fiscal said the woman suspected Tinsley was responsible so she unblocked him and sent him a message asking if he had sent the packet.

He replied that he had and said that if they did not fit her she should just put them in a bin or give them to a charity shop.

At this point the woman contacted the police.

Tinsley pleaded guilty to a charge of sending indecent messages without consent.

Sheriff Kevin McCarron told Tinsley he had come "very close" to being sent to jail. He added that if there was a repeat of this behaviour then that is where he would end up.

He imposed a night-time home curfew between the hours of 7pm and 7am and a non-harassment order for two years preventing him from having any contact with the woman.

Tinsley was also made subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act for the next five years.