Man walking past railings

Lucy McGarr successfully prosecuted a man who stalked a work colleague and her partner for months, culminating in him breaking into her home with the intention to rape her.

Lucy McGarr successfully prosecuted a man who stalked a work colleague and her partner for months, culminating in him breaking into her home with the intention to rape her.

The defendant and the victim interacted for work purposes only before he made romantic advances towards her via WhatsApp. After she declined said advances, the defendant embarked on a campaign of harassment against his victim – making repeated phone calls and messages of both a threatening and obsessive nature, and sending her gifts and letters.

After 2 months of this behaviour, the defendant phoned his victim and threatened to rape her in front of her partner. A few hours later – after she had left her home out of fear – the defendant broke into her home through her bathroom window at 9pm and stole a journal from her bedroom. He returned later at 3 am and broke her front door. He was arrested at the scene and found with seven condoms in his trouser pocket.

The jury rejected the defendant’s story that he and his victim were in a relationship, after the Crown disproved his account through the use of cell-site data, Teams messages, WhatsApp messages, and Ring doorbell footage.

The jury found the defendant guilty of all six counts including aggravated stalking, burglary, and trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence.

At his sentencing, the defendant was assessed as dangerous and sentenced to 159 months’ imprisonment, comprised of a 99 month custodial sentence and a 60 month extended licence period.

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