A RECOVERING alcoholic thanked a judge when he was spared jail for breaching a restraining order.

Paul Armstrong was banned from contacting the mother of his child Victoria Appleby or visiting her address in Chillingworth Crescent, in Wood Farm, Oxford, in November last year.

But Robert Lindsey, prosecuting, said that police went to the address in July after getting a tip-off the 35-year-old was there.

He added: “The defendant was sitting on the sofa playing with his daughter – the incident was filmed using body-worn cameras.”

Armstrong, of Minchery Road, Littlemore, told police Ms Appleby had invited him to the property because she was having problems with an ex-partner.

Mr Lindsey said: “He was concerned for his daughter’s welfare.”

Armstrong had been jailed for 12 months and handed a restraining order in November after he repeatedly breaching a non-molestation order banning him from harassing Ms Appleby. The court heard he had breached the order eight times. He admitted breaching the restraining order again at a previous hearing at Oxford Crown Court.

Stuart Matthews, defending, told the court on Tuesday that Ms Appleby would entice him to the house to see his 10-month old daughter. He added: “She does have power over him because she has a daughter with him.

“She will invite Mr Armstrong to her house, and he, of course, like a little puppy dog, will head straight there.”

Mr Matthews said that Armstrong knew he should have called the police, but had woken up at the morning of the incident to find 20 missed calls from Ms Appleby on his phone.

He added: “She says to him that she believes their daughter is at risk and of course what he does is go straight over there. It’s a psychologically difficult relationship for him.”

Judge Pringle told Armstrong that no matter what his ex-partner texted or said to him, he was not to breach the restraining order.

But he said he would not jail Armstrong again, and added: “I am going to give you a chance.”

He handed Armstrong a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and Armstrong – appearing via video link from HMP Bullingdon – thanked the judge.

He said: “I am sorry for all of this, it’s embarrassing.

“I know there’s no excuse.”