A chef who trained under Gordon Ramsay has been spared jail after he stalked his ex-girlfriend for three months when they broke up.

Daniel McGarey, 40, bombarded Alyce Rockliff with letters, phone calls and unwanted visits to her home to try and win her back.

His offending became more sinister when he then began filming her, appearing in her garden and texting her to accuse her of not being where she said she was going to be.

Ms Rockliffe became frightened, particularly after McGarey drunkenly told staff in a pub he had 'stabbed his wife'.

The father-of-two appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court where he pleaded guilty to stalking last month.

He was released on bail but breached the conditions just one day later and subsequently spent a month in prison.

At his sentencing, he was spared jail and given a community order instead.

McGarey has had an impressive professional career, spending 20 years at prestigious London establishments including the Shangri-La at The Shard, The Berkeley Hotel and Galvin at Windows.

He was also executive chef at Harrods and executive chef and head chef at the Gordon Ramsay Group, working for the TV star.

McGarey met Ms Rockliffe while he was working in London and followed her to Dorset when she moved to be closer to family.

In February the couple took over Salt, a posh waterside restaurant in Portland Marina.

McGarey was the group executive chef while Ms Rockliff was general manager of the restaurant.

However in June the couple had split up and Ms Rockliff reported McGarey to Dorset Police for controlling and coercive behaviour.

He was being investigated for this when he began his stalking campaign.

McGarey told magistrates he now wants to rebuild his reputation and a relationship with his two sons.

The court heard that McGarey was arrested in a Weymouth pub after claiming to have stabbed his wife  

His drunken outburst came just a few days after Ms Rockliff had allowed the father of two to stay in her spare room after she found out he was homeless.   

She then returned to her Weymouth home to find spilt red wine in the office and spare room and the stench of urine apparently caused by an intoxicated McGarey. 

Tara Olney, prosecuting, said: 'This arises out of a strange set of facts. On October 3 at about 8.45pm, staff at the George Inn pub in Weymouth called police.

'The defendant attended the pub saying four males were going to shoot him. He said he had stabbed his wife and was talking about bags of white powder people had planted on him and said his wife was in hospital having been stabbed.

'Knowing they had been in a relationship, police rushed to Alyce Rockliff's - she was unharmed but made disclosures of stalking and criminal damage.

'The conduct is repeatedly attending her address, banging on the door, filming her and hanging out in her garden, sending unwanted hand-delivered letters which were very lengthy, threatening suicide.

'He was texting her constantly, accusing her of not being where she said she was going to be.

'The claims to others he had stabbed her caused her concerns. She has changed the pattern of where she runs and has recently installed a motion activated camera.

'In a statement on October 7 she said 'I'm really worried about Daniel's escalating behaviour and what he may do next'.

'The parties separated and the defendant was on bail with conditions not to contact and breached those.

McGarey represented himself in court.

He told magistrates: 'I am very remorseful that I scared and frightened Alyce.

'I broke any form of trust I had left with her. This (being in prison) is something I don't want to experience again.

'I want to focus to rebuild my reputation, get help with support groups and rebuild a relationship with my sons.'

Magistrates heard McGarey was a man of previously good character.

Dominic Brittain, chairman of the bench, said: 'Given all these factors, sending you to prison is not necessary. We definitely could have but we're going to give you a chance.'

They handed him a 12-month community order with 20 rehabilitation days and 100 hours of unpaid work, as well as £199 costs.

They also made a two-year restraining order banning him from contacting Miss Rockliff and not to go to her home.

Mr Brittain added: 'Drunk or sober, if you break that restraining order you will immediately be arrested, be brought back to court and almost certainly be sent to custody.'