STALKER REPEATEDLY TURNED UP AT EX'S GYM AND KNEW HER EVERY MOVE
A man named Lee Kinsella, aged 41, caused significant fear in his former partner by repeatedly appearing at the same gyms and supermarkets she visited.He would follow her around and verbally abuse her whenever they crossed paths.
During a court hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, it was revealed that the woman felt so unsafe that she needed to be accompanied by a family member whenever she went out alone.
At one point, her father even took her car out to monitor Kinsella’s whereabouts, and he managed to spot him.
Kinsella, who lives on Westonfields Drive in Longton, was also captured on CCTV driving past the victim’s residence and had sent her threatening text messages multiple times.
Prosecutor Barry White explained that Kinsella's relationship with the complainant lasted about five months, during which he insisted she could not speak to others or go on holiday without him.
He recounted that the victim asked him to leave on January 18, 2024, which he did, returning the following day to collect his belongings, marking the end of their relationship.
Shortly after, on February 11, 2024, the victim attended a training session where Kinsella shouted at her, accusing her of being 'out of order,' which left her feeling scared and uncomfortable.
Later, on February 15, 2024, she was at the gym for a personal training session when the defendant was present staring at her.
Two days later, Kinsella threatened to blow up her car, prompting her to block his calls.
A few days later, at another gym, JD Gyms, Kinsella showed up there too and said he could train anywhere, causing her to move to a different part of the gym.
On Aynsley Road in Burslem, the victim noticed Kinsella’s car pull over.
He queried whether she was dating another man, called her a 'tramp' and a 'slag,' and told her she had 'f****d it now.' Kinsella, who had previously been subject to a tag for 408 days, admitted to stalking causing serious distress.
During mitigation, lawyer Paul Cliff explained that Kinsella was about to start a new work opportunity in Sunderland, which would keep him there.
He highlighted that the incidents lasted just over two weeks, mostly shortly after the relationship ended, and noted that Kinsella had been dealing with anxiety.
Since March of the previous year, there had been no contact or incidents.
Mr.
Cliff emphasised that Kinsella had not attempted to offend or upset his ex-partner since then.
Judge Richard McConaghy addressed Kinsella directly, describing his conduct as a 'spree of stalking' in January 2024, involving waiting at the gym to shout at her, making repeated phone calls until she blocked him, and threatening to destroy her car.
The judge noted that Kinsella appeared to know her whereabouts, as he followed her to Sneyd Green, even after her father tried to intervene.
He pointed out that Kinsella’s previous convictions for battery and harassment contributed to the offence's severity and acknowledged that Kinsella seemed to have some understanding of the wrongfulness of his actions.
Ultimately, Kinsella was sentenced to a 12-month community order, which includes 40 days of rehabilitative activities.
He was also subject to a restraining order preventing contact with the victim and ordered to pay £1,630 in costs to the prosecution.
