Worksop man threatened to slice partner’s face in ten-day stalking campaign

Matthew Stuart turned up late at night on January 21 and threw brittle concrete slabs at the front of her house before texting her: “Locks and bolts won't keep me out.

"Guarantee. I will slice your face. When I turn up I will put a knife in your neck.”

Prosecutor Samuel Lounds said Stuart monitored her with a ring camera and when she removed it he said he didn’t need it to watch her.

He bombarded her with messages and threatened to turn up “like I did last night”. She had to block him on social media because of the “constant abuse”.

Ten days later, Stuart threatened to come to a relative's house while she was visiting and she begged him to leave her alone.

He drew his fist, causing her to fear she was about to be punched, before spitting in her face four times.

Later that day, he was seen taking pictures on his phone outside her house and police found him drunk nearby. He admitted hacking into her social media accounts using an old password.

In a statement, his partner of 16 years said: “I am afraid constantly Matthew will come and find me even though I know he is locked up. It is like living in a prison in my own house.”

Nottingham Crown Court heard he has previous convictions for assault, and received a 36-week sentence, suspended for 18 months, for serious domestic assaults in January this year.

His defence barrister said Stuart wanted to apologise and began drinking heavily after the death of his mother.

“He has been in prison since February and now has a clearer mind," he said. “He can now see exactly what he has done and the effects it has caused.”

Stuart, aged 35, of Rydal Drive, Worksop, admitted common assault and stalking on February 2.

On Tuesday, Judge Michael Auty KC described the messages he left as “chilling” and the spitting as “despicable”.

He imposed a 12-month sentence for stalking and assault and activated six months of the suspended sentence to run consecutively. An indefinite restraining order was imposed.