Police arrested Dominic de Souza after they were called to his family home following an argument in March. He was ordered not to contact her or their three children but is said to have since turned up at locations where he knew she would be on nine occasions.

De Souza, a former police officer jailed in 2010 for misconduct in a public office, has been a member of Attleborough Town Council for three years.

His arrest and charge follows a series of scandals at the authority which has been dubbed "Aggroborough" or "Battleborough" Town Council by locals.

He appeared at Norwich Magistrates' Court last week, becoming the second Attleborough councillor to do so in the space of as many months. One of his colleagues, Stephen Fraser, pleaded guilty to criminal damage in July.

De Souza, of Tummel Way in Attleborough, pleaded not guilty to both charges when he appeared in court on Friday.

The hearing was told officers had been called to his home after an argument on his wife's birthday.

Norwich Magistrates' Court (Image: Archant)

He had been cooking a roast dinner but was accused by her of "lacking in husbandly qualities", the court heard.

When officers arrived, an allegation of assault was made against him and de Souza was ordered not to contact his wife or three children, with limitations imposed on his movements around the town.

The court heard that, following his arrest, de Souza had turned up at locations where he "would have known"........

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