MAN JAILED FOR SENDING 29,000 MESSAGES IN HARASSMENT
A man from Taunton, Nathan Murray, aged 37, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for a prolonged campaign of stalking against a woman, during which he sent her tens of thousands of messages.Murray appeared at Taunton Crown Court on Friday, June 19, after admitting charges of stalking and intentionally sending an explicit image to the victim that was meant to cause her distress.
The court was told that between April 2025 and February 10, 2026, Murray engaged in an extended pattern of harassment, sending approximately 29,000 messages to the woman.
Many of these messages included threats of violence.
Prosecutors stated that the sheer volume and threatening content of the messages led the victim to fear that Murray might carry out physical harm on at least two occasions.
At an earlier hearing on March 3, 2026, Murray pleaded guilty to the charge of stalking likely to cause fear of violence, under Section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.
The case was then sent to the Crown Court for sentencing.
Judge P Cook described Murray's conduct as “serious and persistent,” emphasizing the gravity of the offence.
In addition to the stalking conviction, Murray also admitted to sending a graphic photograph of his genitals to the same woman, an offence under Section 66A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which caused her alarm, distress, or humiliation.
The court sentenced Murray to 18 months’ imprisonment for the stalking offence, with an extra four months for the image-sharing offence, which is to run concurrently.
Furthermore, an indefinite restraining order was imposed, forbidding him from contacting the victims directly or through third parties, including via social media.
He is also prohibited from going to any address where he believes either individual might live.
The restraining order remains in force until further notice issued by the court.
Additionally, Murray was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £187, due by December 18, 2027.
