Groom caught cheating on their wedding night

Wales: A love-rat groom whose marriage collapsed after he had a fling with the wedding hairdresser has been banned from contacting his new wife.

Harry McNeil wed childhood sweetheart Bronwen Phillips on November 1st last year but soon started a relationship with Alexandra Kotri - the stylist from his big day.

Magistrates in Brecon, Powys, heard police got involved after the 23-year-old bombarded his estranged wife with texts in a bid to win her back - despite being warned not to contact her.

He pleaded guilty to harassment without violence and was given restraining order, as prosecutor Julie Sullivan told the court McNeil had sent texts to Ms Phillips begging forgiveness.

The pair, who had been together for 6 years, split a fortnight after they tied the knot when McNeil's new wife discovered the romance.

Estate agent McNeil was warned by Ms Phillips' solicitor to stay away from her Brecon home after she began divorce proceedings.

But he went to the house, banged on the letterbox and pushed the door trying to get in.

Prosecutor Julie Sullivan told the court he shouted through the letterbox "I'll stay here all night", but Ms Phillips didn't answer and hid in the living room out of sight while her mother called police.

Ms Sullivan said: "Police arrived and the defendant was still outside the property. He was interviewed and said he'd been in a relationship with Bronwen Phillips and deeply regretted what had occurred and wanted to get back together and had sent between 20 to 30 messages."

Ms Sullivan said desperate McNeil even texted his wife after he was arrested.

"The final message was sent while the defendant was in the back of the police car," she told the court. He told her he'd been arrested, he loved her and wanted to" talk to her."

Magistrates heard he also used the WhatsApp messaging app to contact Ms Phillips, which meant he could see she'd read his messages but was not answering them.

McNeil, also of Brecon, represented himself at the hearing. He was given a nine-month community order with six months supervision and a requirement he attend the respectful relationships course.

The restraining order prevents McNeil from contacting Ms Phillips by any means or from attending at her home. He must also do 100 hours unpaid work and pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Speaking after the hearing, McNeil reiterated that he "deeply regretted" his fling with the wedding hairdresser.

The 23-year-old estate agent said: "I am very regretful about the whole situation. There's more to [it] than has been made out, but I'm not going to go into it.

"It's happened now and I just want to move on and get past it. Obviously I'm very sorry for the hurt I caused Bronwen."

Hairdresser Alexandra, who advertises on Facebook as 'Alexandra's Mobile Hairdressing', admitted the fling but said it was over.

She said: "All I want to say it the relationship is over. It only lasted a couple of weeks."

Asked whether she regretted the fling, Alexandra added: "I really don't feel comfortable talking about this anymore."