Stalker tracked ex to Kirkby and turned her into a 'nervous wreck'

A man turned his ex-partner into a nervous wreck by tracking her down to her new home in Kirkby because he couldn't accept the relationship was over, a court heard.
Mansfield Magistrates Court.Mansfield Magistrates Court.
Mansfield Magistrates Court.

Lee James left voice messages and pictures on the woman’s phone and told her he was coming down to see her at the weekend, between September 1 to 7.

“She was particularly concerned when a neighbour saw him near her new home,” said prosecutor Donna Fawcett.

“In police interview he said he wanted her back and couldn’t help the urges he had.”

The woman ended their four-month relationship in May, because she found him “untruthful and obsessive”, she added.

She said the woman had been left a nervous wreck as a result of the unwanted attention, and she was worried she might lose her job because she had to take time off work.

The court heard the woman has since moved address again.

Mark Stocks, mitigating, said: “His arrest brought this obsessive behaviour to an end. He realises his efforts to persuade this lady to resume their relationship were fruitless and he realises that they went beyond what was reasonable.

“It was never threatening and it was never intended to be threatening.”

James, 44, of New Street, Hilcote, Alfreton, admitted harassment when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Wednesday.

District judge Jonathan Taaffe told him: “It’s not a question of what you want, it’s a question of respecting the right of this woman to make her own decisions and she made the decision there is no future in your relationship.

“If you can’t respect that you will find yourself in prison. I hope now you have come to your senses.”

He imposed a five year restraining order, and ordered James to pay a £230 fine, with £85 costs and a £30 government surcharge.