A BUSINESSMAN jailed for harassing a barmaid continued to pester the woman from behind bars, a court has been told.

Jaewan Lee was visiting the UK on a six-month visa and met the woman who was working in Eurobar, George Street, Oxford, in January.

The 32-year-old asked the woman if she wanted to go for a drink, but was told she was not interested.

Lee then began showering the barmaid with gifts and snapping her on his camera.

Oxford Crown Court was today told it was in keeping with his country’s culture for women to spurn an admirer’s advances and that was why he persisted.

Lee was arrested after the woman complained to police about his behaviour and magistrates gave him a restraining order on January 16.

But Clare Tucker, prosecuting, said: “Within a very short time of leaving the magistrates’ court he went to the Eurobar.

“He is understood to have sat on a chair in the bar, and was immediately reported to the police.”

Magistrates jailed Lee for 21 days on the same day, but the South Korean used the prison phone to call the bar.

In one of the five calls made on January 20 he spoke to the landlord, who realised who it was.

Ms Tucker said: “He told him several times to leave her alone, but the defendant kept saying he wanted to talk to her.”

Lee, who was in the UK on a six-month holiday visa, was arrested for the incident when he was released from prison on January 29.

He also was found to have a love letter on him which he planned to post to the woman.

The infatuated businessman admitted the breach at magistrates court on January 29 and was sent to the crown court for sentence.

Trudie Yeatman, defending, blamed cultural issues for her client’s harassment while on holiday.

“He has told me that women in his culture are expected to say no to a man’s advances or any suggestion of a relationship at first,” she said.

“He said to me downstairs in the cells that he is in love with her.”

Lee also claimed he had been handed the Eurobar’s telephone number by a warden at the prison.

Judge Mary-Jane Mowat jailed Lee for a further four months and ordered he be deported after the sentence.

She said: “Mr Lee, I do not know whether you understand that your behaviour towards (the victim) was not only frightening and offensive to her, but was also in breach of the law and court orders.”

After the hearing, the barmaid said she constantly felt in danger and was unable to sleep properly.

“I told him not to come near me, but when you tell someone that and they ignore it, then the police tell him not to come back and then the courts, what do you do then?

“At first the police thought he was just confused. This has all caused too many problems for everyone at the bar.

“I am going through very unpleasant times, I am used to having fun at work, but with the stress it has caused everybody, it’s not funny at all.

“I thought I would have to move from the town if the