Ex-England and Blackpool football player jailed for ‘obsessive’ campaign of harassment on ex-girlfriend

James Hurst - who also played for West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City - bombarded the victim with abusive calls, texts and emails as well as turning up at her home.

The 32-year-old also harassed her mother and brother-in-law, sending bogus Trip Advisor reviews about his farm business.

A court heard Hurst, who represented England at under 16's and under 20's level, stalked his former partner and her family in a bitter row about access to their son.

He would sometimes make up to 50 calls a day, with the victim also receiving around 500 messages from Hurst between January and June.

In a statement she said she was scared of her ex, describing him as “unhinged”.

But Hurst, representing himself, claimed in court his former partner had been physically abusive to him and stolen money from his account.

The right back also stated it was not in the public interest to jail him as media coverage would harm his career, which he described as being in its 'twilight'.

He previously admitted stalking, two charges of harassment, two of sending false communications and one of breaching a non molestation order.

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Hurst, of Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, was jailed for two years at Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday.

Sentencing, Judge Roderick Henderson described Hurst as "obsessive" and added: "This was very serious and worrying behaviour of some duration, over many months.

"The frequency and seriousness of this offending leads to a custodial sentence as court orders need to be followed and ex-partners and their family need to be protected."

Maninder Chagger, prosecuting, said Hurst and the victim had been in a relationship for some time before they split up last year.

She said: "In November 2023 they separated, having had one child together who was the subject of a dispute in the family court.

"Between December 2023 and June 2024, just before the defendant's arrest on June 16 this defendant bombarded his former partner and mother of his child with text messages and phone calls and attended her address.

"The dispute has been mostly in relation to their son."

Miss Chaggar said on December 9 the woman had gone to the defendant's home when he had been verbally abusive towards her, assaulted her and caused damage to her car window.

The prosecutor said the next incident was in January this year and related to her brother-in-law, who ran a farming business.

He received a number of unwanted messages from Hurst offering him money to help him have contact with his son.

He replied that he did not want to become involved.

Miss Chaggar added: "On January 3 further messages were sent to him of a threatening nature.

"Hurst then took to Trip Advisor and left a false review in relation to his business.

"He has given a false review in relation to staff saying that an incident had taken place on the farm involving an animal which had attacked a child, which was false.

"That had a tremendous impact on the farmer who clearly took pride in safety on the farm."

Miss Chagger said in January 2024 the victim had gone to Chesterfield family court where she took out a non molestation order against her ex partner.

However Hurst ignored it and on January 17 contacted the victim's mother sending her aggressive messages, saying he was "watching her like a hawk."

He also threatened to come to her address which left her 'fearful' of Hurst, the court was told.

Hurst, who has nine convictions for 19 offences, said that he regretted and apologised for messages he had sent while he had been abroad.

He said his motivation had always been concern for his son and that he had been "angry and frustrated."

He described himself being "in the twilight of his career." and when he had made the bogus review he had not been in the right frame of mind.

Hurst signed for West Bromwich Albion in 2010 and had a brief loan spell for Birmingham City in 2012.

He played for England under 16's and under 20's. He also signed for Shrewsbury and last played for non-league Ilkeston Town.

He has had previous brushes with the law. In 2018 he was convicted of drink driving and being drunk and disorderly in Wrexham.

In June 2020 he was remanded in custody by a court in Glasgow after pleading guilty to acting in a threatening and abusive manner towards police officers.

That followed a domestic incident when he coughed in officers' faces and told them he had Covid 19 and used derogatory language towards a female police officer as well as shouting anti Scottish abuse.