NEIGHBOUR SENTENCED FOR THREE-YEAR SOCIAL MEDIA STALKING AND HARASSMENT
A man named Joshua Bentley, aged 25, was convicted of harassing his neighbor, Sarah Perrett, over a period of three years after she refused to go out with him.Bentley posed as Sarah on social media and falsely claimed she was an escort, posting these messages publicly which led to her receiving hundreds of requests for naked pictures.
Sarah described the ordeal as "vicious" and detailed how Bentley's lies made her "absolutely sick".
The harassment included verbal attacks, false accusations, and spreading damaging lies about her and her family—such as falsely claiming her father was a paedophile and that she was involved in an incestuous relationship.
Bentley also posted her pictures on a 'buy and sell' website, further damaging her reputation.
Sarah was forced to take the case to court, where Bentley was convicted of harassment at Bradford Crown Court and sentenced to a 15-month suspended sentence.
Sarah expressed that her life was upturned, and her son Harvey was terrified of Bentley, who was often seen near her home.
After the initial harassment, Bentley attempted to re-engage with Sarah when she exited a relationship, demanding to know why she looked into his windows, and on subsequent visits, made threatening remarks.
In September 2014, steps were taken when Sarah reported the situation, leading to police involvement.
Bentley's online abuse continued with him creating a Facebook group aimed at exposing sex offenders in Halifax, which was used to slander Sarah and her family further.
Despite these actions, many online commentators supported Sarah, emphasizing her resilience.
She was granted a restraining order in January 2015, which Bentley breached by sending her messages via fake profiles and visiting her home.
This led to Bentley appearing in Bradford Crown Court in July 2015.
Overall, the case highlights a disturbing pattern of obsessive behavior, social media abuse, and harassment, leading to Bentley's conviction and sentencing, though Sarah remains affected by the trauma.
