A WOMAN has been made the subject of a restraining order after she made threats against a retired police officer on social media.

Sandra Moorby admitted harassment after she was hauled before a court for sending threatening messages on Facebook and Twitter.

The court heard that 41-year-old blamed the police officer for a miscarriage she had during an investigation that led to her being jailed more than five years ago.

The former detective inspector Barry Fitzgerald retired in 2010, magistrates heard.

Appearing at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court, she admitted sending several tweets between September 29 and October 29.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre told the court: "Barry Fitzgerald retired in 2010. He then started to receive threats in 2012. He had been working at Barrow's football club and the defendant emailed the club.

"In 2018 Cumbria Police were receiving tweets threatening Barry Fitzgerald."

Mr Dacre said Moorby told police: "I will do to him what he did to my baby."

He said Mr Fitzgerald had found the harassment 'unnerving for me and my family."

The prosecutor urged magistrates to grant a 'necessary' restraining order.

Trystan Roberts, mitigating, said: "These tweets have not been sent directly to Mr Fitzgerald.

"There was no intention to carry out what she said, she was simply venting.

"There are times when she is feeling worse than other times and that coincided with her feeling aggrieved about what had happened in the past."

He added: "Things seem to be going in the right direction and the defendant feels more positive about the future and herself and others."

Mr Roberts said the offence was 'not sophisticated' and committed over a 'short' period of time.

Magistrates sentenced Moorby, of Kirkhead End in Grange, to a 6pm to 7am curfew for 10 weeks.

A three-year restraining order bans her from contacting the former officer and posting anything on social media relating to him.