STALKER HUSBAND ATTACKED LOVE RIVAL IN VIOLENT RAMPAGE
A possessive husband could not accept the breakdown of his marriage and attacked his love rival, a court heard.Karl Phillips, 41, stalked his estranged wife, put a tracker in her car and finally stormed into a house to attack her new partner.
He punched and kicked the man to the ground and then smashed a dinner plate on his head.
He was so out of control that he took his two teenage sons to the address with him.
Phillips, of Grosvenor Avenue, Torquay, has been jailed for two years and nine months at Exeter Crown Court.
He pleaded guilty to stalking causing fear, ABH and burglary with intent to inflict GBH.
The court was told he was a hard working family man who had not been able to accept the 19-year relationship was over.
Bathsheba Cassel, prosecuting, said Phillips' behaviour grew increasingly obsessive and paranoid after the pair separated.
He sent messages, threatened to harm himself if they did not get back together and rummaged through her belongings to find evidence she was seeing somebody else.
He had to be escorted from her place of work after an angry confrontation and used a tracker to keep an eye on where she was.
He followed her, asked a friend to follow her and in August barged into a property and attacked the other man.
He punched the victim, kicked him on the ground and rained blows down on his head and body, said the prosecutor.
He told his sons to hold their mother back and encouraged them to get involved in the violence.
Before leaving he said: "This isn't over yet." The victim was treated in hospital for extensive bruising and cuts.
His ex said in a statement she was petrified of Phillips.
She said every single day was filled with fear about what he would do.
The stalking made her feel constantly on edge and suffer nightmares.
Recorder Anna Vigars KC said Phillips behaviour had been possessive and obsessive.
She said he should never have dragged his own sons into the chaos and the attack was planned.
