They read: "You wee lamb. If it helps my stomach is in knots. I missed not seeing you today.

"I can't believe what we are going to do tomorrow. I hope I don't disappoint you. I love you Jules. Thinking about you non-stop.

"Couldn't eat. I am desperate to have you in my arms and tell you I love you to your face. You mean everything to me but it hurts.

"Hold on till tomorrow babe. Be strong for both of us. LOV YA MORE than ever xxxx F" Waters, who has 29 years service with the fire service, denied the texts were evidence of an affair.

Rea's lawyer Lauren Fowler asked him: "Are you suggesting these messages are not sexual or romantic in nature?"

Waters replied: "They're not sexual. We were friends."

Waters said Mrs Rea had told him that her husband had abused her for a number of years.

He said that his text saying he "couldn't believe what they were going to do tomorrow" was referring to him taking her to a Women's Aid refuge. Rea, of Troon, denied the attack on Waters. The court heard he drove his wife to work to confront Waters after discovering the texts in December 2005.

He burst into Waters office in a fury and punched him in the face while lashing out with his feet.

Waters managed to force Rea out to the car park where the taxi driver brandished a wheel brace at him.

Rea then reversed his car at Waters several times before speeding out of the carpark.

Financial manager Julie, who was responsible for advising Waters on his budget, also denied having a sexual relationship with her boss.

But she admitted texting Waters: "Need some contact maybe because I didn't see you today. Love you."

Defence lawyer Ms Fowler asked: "Did you in fact love him? Why did you text that?"

Mrs Rea replied: "It was from a radio show where you say you love people at the end of the message.

"We had banter going on. It was very tongue-in-cheek." After the attack Rea hired private detective William Adair to spy on the couple.

One day he spotted Waters parking his BMW round the corner from Rea's house in Troon.

Adair, 63, said: "In my opinion the car was driven there so as not to be associated with the house.

"When Frank Waters left the house, he looked all around. Mrs Rea left after him. My conclusion was that there was an adulterous relationship going on."

Rea was found guilty of assault on Friday and sentence was deferred for three weeks.

Sheriff Elizabeth McFarlane warned him she was considering a jail term.

Frank Waters' brother Tony, 45, is also a high-ranking firefighter.

Last week we told of how Sgt Arlene Smith left her police marksman husband Alastair after falling for Tony during a sponsored cycle in the USA.