A MAN deemed a high risk to women walked free from court on Monday.

Anthony Davenport, 36, was given a two-year suspended prison sentence despite the Probation Service calling for him to be jailed.

Macclesfield magistrates had heard how he had pursued a Knutsford woman for four months, bombarding her with text messages, following her in the street and shouting abuse.

Kate Hurst, prosecuting, said he also left flowers outside the woman's house and delivered red tulips to her front door.

"He started shouting through the letter box 'Come and get them, come and get them'," she said.

But as Davenport left court on Monday, magistrates warned he would be jailed if he committed another crime.

"You don't walk out of here scot-free," said chairman of the bench Lesley Robinson.

"You have a five-month prison sentence over your head."

Davenport, of Manor Park North, Knutsford, was in court to be sentenced after, at an earlier hearing, he admitted harassing an old school friend.

"The Probation Service rather unusually class Mr Davenport as posing a high risk of harm, particularly to women," said Mr Robinson.

But on Monday Davenport apologised to magistrates for harassing the woman.

He said he was attending self-help groups for problems including alcohol and cannabis addiction to change his behaviour.

Davenport also said he had started voluntary work at Tatton Park's kitchen garden.

"I do have a great deal of support now," he said.

Last month magistrates had warned Davenport that he faced a spell behind bars.

However on Monday, Julian Farley, defending, asked the court to give him a suspended sentence.

"He Davenport feels that everything will be in place to make sure nothing like this ever happens again," he said.

The court also handed Davenport a two-year supervision order, which means he will regularly meet a probation officer.

"You will be under close supervision, inevitably," said Mr Robinson.