A Ukip councillor has been handed a restraining order after pleading guilty to threatening and abusive behaviour towards his wife at a rally in Margate's Winter Gardens.

Gary Hillman attended the rally led by party leader Nigel Farage on September 7, and his wife - then known as Emma Hillman and also a Thanet councillor - was also there.

Appearing at Canterbury Magistrates' Court today, Hillman admitted swearing at her and threatening to trash her house.

Ukip councillor Gary Hillman has been handed a restraining order

Prosecuting, Julie Farbrace said: "She parked her car and he came over and grabbed her hand. She told him no and she walked with him into the Winter Gardens.

"She felt his behaviour was better then because they had two mayors with them.

"Her friend Christine came over and they left for home at 9pm but Mr Hillman followed them and swore at them.

"Mrs Hillman was concerned it would escalate so walked out the door. They were both walking away from the Winter Gardens and he was shouting 'I will go and smash the house up'.

Cllr Emma Dawson

"She said her only response was to lock herself in the car but he lent across her with his full body weight and grabbed her phone, which had fallen on to the passenger seat. She tried getting it back.

"She then couldn't see her keys and, concerned he had them, went back to find them but found them on the passenger seat.

"She started the car to find he had blocked the exit with his van. She did a series of manoeuvres then drove to the police station to report it."

Hillman and his wife - now known as Emma Dawson, who defected to the Conservatives in October 2015 - got into a relationship in 2004 and married in 2007.

But Hillman moved out of the family home in Wilbrough Road, Birchington in May 2015.

Prosecutor Julie Farbrace said: "She said since she was married to Gary, she felt trapped and degraded and threatened for her daughter."

In a statement read to court, Emma said: "I do not feel safe any more and I am concerned that because of him, I am no longer going to be here.

"It felt like a life sentence of pain and misery and I was oppressed by his words and controlled by his behaviour.

"It felt like a life-sentence of pain and misery and I was oppressed by his words and controlled by his behaviour..." Cllr Emma Dawson

"He feels like I'm his toy and no one else can have me."

Defending, barrister Dickon Edwards said: "He has entered into a guilty plea at the earliest possible point. He swore at them and he accepts this was poor behaviour.

"He was not aware of the litany of circumstances made against him as a human, a husband and an employer until now. These are her opinions.

"On September 7, there was an arrangement for him and his wife to attend the rally together.

"He brought her a bunch of roses as a further effort to continue a civil relationship, which were unceremoniously dumped in her boot.

"She refused to hold his hand walking in and during the course of the speech they were sat next to each other.

"He says she continuously left the talk, clearly to ring someone. He became concerned and distracted by her behaviour and he unusually reacted.

"He regrets allowing the situation to continue and knows he shouldn't have used those words or shouted in that fashion."

He told magistrates: "Give Mr Hillman full credit for his guilty plea and previous good character and the short period of time his behaviour lasted over."

Cllr Chris Wells

Three references were then handed to magistrates, one from Thanet District Council leader Cllr Chris Wells (Ukip) and another from deputy leader Cllr Lin Fairbass (Ukip).

Hillman was sentenced to a restraining order for the next 12 months, banning him from entering Wilbrough Road, Birchington, or having contact with Emma Dawson unless on council business or through legal representatives about their divorce.

He was also fined £250, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £25 and court costs of £85.