ADAM BRUCE

STALKER JAILED AT SOUTHAMPTON CROWN COURT

A stalker described as "love-crazed" continued to harass his former partner despite already being under a restraining order and a suspended sentence, insisting he was "still in love" with her.

Adam Bruce, 28, of East View Road, Ringwood, had previously been sentenced for a sustained campaign of stalking, but breached both the court orders by making further contact with the victim.

Between 18 and 23 May, Bruce subjected her to a series of phone calls and text messages, during which he declared he still had feelings for her.

He accused the woman of having "destroyed the happy and bubbly person he was" and blamed her for his current "situation".

Bruce has been held on remand at HMP Lewes since May, and appeared via video link at Southampton Crown Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to breaching both the suspended sentence and the restraining order.

Prosecuting, Leigh Hart told the court that Bruce’s renewed contact had caused his victim considerable anxiety and emotional distress.

She is now suffering from sleep disturbances and nightmares, and has expressed a clear desire for Bruce to stop contacting her altogether.

Berenice Mulvanny, representing Bruce, noted that he had entered his guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

She argued that he was immature and in need of support.

She added that since being remanded on 30 May, this had been Bruce’s first experience of incarceration.

Judge Gary Burrell KC remarked that Bruce’s behaviour had had a “devastating effect” on the complainant, and sentenced him to seven months in prison.

He acknowledged Bruce’s apparent lack of full comprehension regarding the seriousness of his actions, but emphasised the gravity of the breach.

The court heard that Bruce’s behaviour dated back to 2018, when he began an affair with a married colleague who was in an open relationship.

When the relationship ended, Bruce responded by subjecting her to a barrage of abusive and racist messages.

Miss Hart said the victim had received "hundreds if not thousands" of messages from Bruce.

On one occasion, after she returned from holiday, she found her car "decorated" with condoms and her underwear an act which further traumatised her.

For those previous offences, Bruce was sentenced in January to a 12-month prison term, suspended for two years, along with an indefinite restraining order intended to protect the victim.