A cycling coach who waited outside a woman's place of work has been found guilty of stalking.

Mark Elmy, a well-known British cycling coach, former Games Maker at the London 2012 Olympics and prominent member of Bungay Cycle School, denied the charge at Great Yarmouth Magistrates' court yesterday, claiming he was worried about the victim's health and not infatuated or obsessed.

Married father-of-two Elmy became 'close' to the woman, who lives in Norwich, in 2011. The trial heard the pair had a sexual relationship, which the woman described as 'one moment of madness'.

In August 2012, she told 48-year-old Elmy, of Beccles Road, Bungay, she no longer wanted any contact.

Two months later, police, having informally warned him to stay away, issued a Police Information Notice (PIN) that further contact would be harassment.

Despite the warning, Elmy went on to send unsigned Christmas and Valentine's cards to the woman's place of work. He left an envelope containing £100 cash at her home, he 'watched' her at sporting events across Norfolk and Suffolk and, in April 2013, sent a text message.

Giving evidence in court, the victim said: 'I am terrified. I'm constantly looking over my shoulder and wondering where he's going to appear next.

'I don't know why he's doing this and I don't know how to stop it.'

During his police interview, Elmy denied sending the cards despite evidence, including DNA proof - a move his own solicitor described as 'stupid'.

He eventually admitted sending them but insisted he contacted the victim because he 'cared about her mental health'. He claimed crossing paths with her outside her Norwich workplace was a coincidence and said they were bound to run into each other at sporting events.

Finding him guilty, magistrates said Elmy ought to have known his 'intimidating' actions would caused distress, alarm or fear. They noted that, as a result of conviction, Elmy would no longer pass a CRB check and would lose his job as a coach.

Elmy was fined £1,200 and made subject to a three-year order prohibiting him from contacting the victim, going near her home or workplace. He will pay £620 costs.