Lyon (AFP) - A 33-year-old French man was sent
to prison on Thursday after phoning and texting
his ex-girlfriend 21,807 times, admitting that,
with hindsight, "it was stupid".
The unnamed defendant, who had made the calls
to demand the woman thank him for fixing up
their flat, was given a 10-month sentence -- six
months of which was suspended -- and a 1,000-
euro ($1,300) fine.


He will also have to undergo psychiatric
treatment and is barred from all contact with the
woman he harassed, lawyers in the case told AFP.
The defendant, who comes from Rhone in
southern France, had already accepted
responsibility for the barrage of phone calls and
text messages over a 10-month period, and had
accepted an earlier demand to cease contact with
his ex.
He had been hospitalised in the past for
depression, and struggled to cope when his
girlfriend broke off their relationship in 2011. He
demanded compensation for work he had carried
out in their apartment.
"At the time, my logic was that until she returns
the money ... or at least says thank you, I would
not stop the calls," he told the court in Lyon.
The calls kept coming -- averaging more than 73
per day.
"She tried to block her line, but he phoned her
parents instead and her workplace," said Manuella
Spee, lawyer for the victim, a 32-year-old
teacher who was also not named.
It was only when she finally said thank you, during
a meeting organised by a mediator, that the
harassment stopped. He has not contacted her
since.
"I tell myself, with hindsight, that it was stupid,"
he told the court on Thursday.
He said he wanted to return to school to train to
be a legal assistant, and added that he had a
"passion for writing".

Hmmmm End time calls

silly laws are more than constituted laws...

Samiceman: Hmmmm End time calls