MAN SENT 60 EMAILS IN A MONTH TO FORMER PARTNER DESPITE BAIL CONDITIONS
A MAN stalked his former partner and bombarded her with emails, which varied between abusive and telling her how much he loved her.Chris Potts, 56, of Church Road, West Mersea, appeared at Colchester Magistrates Court for sentencing after admitting one charge of stalking and one of communications offences.
The court heard the stalking took place after the relationship with his partner of 17 years ended.
Rose Prior, prosecuting, said: “Mr Potts pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity.
“Mr Potts sent 60 unwanted emails between the dates of July 18, 2025, and September 12, 2025, after their relationship came to an end.
“They vary from being abusive, calling her a s***… and saying how much he loves her.
“This seems to be the theme of the emails.” Bail conditions of no contact with his former partner were set, which the court heard Potts breached.
Caroline Woodley, mitigating, said after the no contact bail conditions were put in place, Potts’ former partner contacted him herself about shared debt.
Ms Woodley said of Potts’ emails: “Some of the breaches were to confirm about having property retained.
Some were in relation to him sending parcels to her.
“Granted, some of them were in an effort to try and rescue their relationship and some to understand what went wrong.” The court heard Potts’ former partner left the home after an incident where police were called and Potts had been cut on the arm by his former partner.
“He was the one arrested, and felt very aggrieved about that,” Ms Woodley said.
Potts faced a second charge of communications offences after threatening a man.
Ms Woodley said that came out of frustration after the man had been at the flat to move possessions after Potts’ former partner left the home.
The court heard he sent texts which said, ‘If you come near my flat I will throw you down the stairs’, and ‘Wait until I get my hands on you – I’m going to tear you limb from limb’.
A victim impact statement was read to the court which detailed the “great distress” caused, including lack of sleep and paranoia.
Potts, 56, was given a 12-month community order, a six-month alcohol treatment requirement, and 30 days of rehabilitation.
Magistrates also imposed two restraining orders to protect both his victims and ordered him to pay £344 in costs.
