A 32-year-old city man who harassed his former girlfriend by persistently texting and e-mailing her, has been given a suspended nine-month sentence.

Moments before his trial was due to begin before a jury at Galway Circuit Criminal Court today, Mario Flores, a native of Menlo, Castlegar pleaded guilty

Mario Flores, who now lives with his mother in Cill Chiaran, Carna, pleaded guilty to harassing the woman by persistently communicating with her by phone between July 24 and August 1, 2010.

Detective Tom Doyle said he obtained a search warrant and seized phones and computers from Flores’ home