A Birmingham man was yesterday cleared of harassment on the social networking site Facebook, in what is thought to be the first trial of its kind in the UK.

Michael Hurst, 34, from Edgbaston, was accused of contacting former girlfriend Sophie Sladden, also of Edgbaston, via Facebook on January 21.

Mr Hurst, a carpenter, admitted sending a "friend request" after clicking on his ex's profile picture "out of curiosity".

The pair's relationship had broken down in April 2007 after an argument about her wanting to watch the Eurovision Song Contest.

When Mr Hurst tried contacting her through the popular site asking to be her friend between December 2007 and January 2008 - she was left feeling "uncomfortable and angry", the court heard.

Mr Hurst, a theatre worker, had attempted to add her as a "friend" on the site so that he could look at photographs from a work's Christmas party, but she denied his request, magistrates were told.

Giving evidence, Ms Sladden, also a theatre worker, said: "As soon as I realised that it was him I made sure no-one could search for me on Facebook so he could have no access to my profile because it made me deeply uncomfortable and angry.

"I then blocked him as Facebook lets you do that and that meant he couldn't get to me."

He denied that he had tried to intimidate Ms Sladden and told magistrates he did not believe that being "Facebook friends" was "friendship in the traditional sense".

He added: "Chris Moyles has one and a half million Facebook friends, do you think he knows them all intimately?"

Ms Sladden said she had tightened the security settings on her Facebook profile after receiving the request. She said: "It made me feel scared. It made me feel frightened, it made me feel insecure.

"It was unwanted attention which I don't think any person should go through."

The court also heard that Hurst, who had previously received a police caution for harassing Ms Sladden, ordered a book to be delivered to her workplace.

She said: "I received it at my workplace. I felt very very upset. It was an invasion of my life. I wanted to get on with my life. I deserve to have a life which isn't overshadowed by an expartner's actions."

The book, On Chesil Beach, by Ian McEwan was intended as a "kind and generous" gesture Hurst said.

He added: "I had read the book and it had resonances with the relationship that Sophie and I had had. I wanted her to enjoy the book and understand and hopefully feel consoled in the same way that I had when I read it.

"It wasn't important to me whether Sophie knew the book was from me or not, I just wanted her to have the opportunity to read it."

Nazim Khattac, prosecuting, described to the court Ms Sladden's statement to the police in November 2007 after Hurst had previously been cautioned for an incident of harassment.

She said: "She was constantly contacted by him, she said this overshadowed everything she did and she couldn't have an ordinary life and she even sent him a message saying 'what part of leaving me alone do you not understand?'

"He then pursued a course of conduct which amounted to harassment in that he contacted her on Facebook and sent her a message causing her to be frightened and scared."

Mr Howard Joy, defending Mr Hurst, said: "There was never any prosecution by police and it was only a caution.

"A person with one caution for harassment who wasn't represented at the police station and who co-operated with the police and was released is not a criminal and has done nothing wrong. He is a respectable young man and is in employment."

Mrs Catherine Taylor, chairing the bench, said: "We believe that in sending a book that you ought to have known that this was a course of action that could be construed as harassment by the considered party.

"We are of the view that the Facebook incident has not been proved by the prosecution beyond reasonable doubt. We have therefore dismissed the charge. "I suggest that you refrain from making any contact with Ms Sladden in the future."