A man who breached a restraining order has been sentenced to eight weeks in prison.

Steven Adam England had previously denied the offence and was set to go to trial in October, but on Tuesday, September 24, he changed his plea to guilty.

The 31-year-old was seen sunbathing with the woman who he had been barred from contacting.

England has already spent the time on remand at the prison, so will be time served and released immediately.

Prosecuting advocate Sara-Jayne Dodge told the court that the defendant was issued with a Domestic Abuse Protection Order on June 4.

He was also jailed for one month and 10 days on that date after admitting common assault and domestic abuse.

However, on August 11, police were called by a witness who said England, and the woman who was the subject of the protection order, were sunbathing in the woman’s garden.

He then left the property and the woman had asked the witness not to call the police.

England, who is of no fixed abode, was arrested and during an interview denied being at the address, saying it must have been a case of mistaken identity.

Defence advocate Victoria Kinrade asked the court to consider immediate custody as a sentence, bearing in mind that England had been on remand since August 14, just shy of six weeks.

Ms Kinrade reiterated that there had been no complaint from the woman herself and it had been from a third party.

The advocate said that an application had since been made to reduce the period of the protection order and it was now due to end on October 2.

Ms Kinrade said that it had been a relatively minor breach and that there had been no further allegation of domestic abuse.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood agreed to impose a custodial sentence, which would result in England’s immediate release.