Man jailed after following former partner to beach

Bevan Lee Stoneman's ex-partner was at the beach with her children on Christmas Eve when she realised he had followed her and was watching them from his car.

Stoneman breached a protection order five times in the past and was convicted of three more on Tuesday, earning him six weeks in jail. He appeared in the Whanganui District Court and admitted the charges.

The protection order was granted in favour of the ex-partner and her two children in 2009.

Of the latest breaches, the first happened on December 21 when Stoneman spoke to the victim's 7-year-old daughter unsupervised and gave her money, Judge David Cameron said.

The other two breaches happened when Stoneman drove past the victim's sister's address on December 24 and saw the victim packing the car to go to the beach.

He followed and parked overlooking where the victim's vehicle was parked.

"This caused his ex-partner to feel somewhat unsafe and they left the beach almost immediately," Judge Cameron said.

"Later that day, while talking to police, his ex-partner's sister saw the defendant drive past that address on three separate occasions, twice looking directly at the victim."

Stoneman, who had an "extensive" criminal history, was sentenced to six weeks in jail with no release conditions.