MAN WHO STALKED EX AND 'BOMBARDED' HER WITH CALLS AND MESSAGES SENTENCED
A man who persistently followed his former partner and flooded her with phone calls and messages after their breakup has received a court sentence.Ryan Alexander Gibbs, aged 34, had a tumultuous relationship with the woman that lasted approximately six months.
She decided to end it, citing his behavior as 'too intense.' During the hearing at Weymouth Magistrate's Court, prosecutor Andrew Newman stated that the couple initially met on Tinder.
He added that when their relationship began in February of the previous year, the victim described Gibbs as 'perfectly gentlemanly,' although she soon noticed concerning behaviors emerging from him.
It was said that during the relationship, Gibbs would be intense and make 'strange' comments.
Mr Newman said: "He made strange comments about her eyes being beautiful and that he wanted to cut them out and put them in a jar." The court heard that the victim broke up with Gibbs in July last year, saying in a statement that she 'wanted nothing more to do with him'.
On this occasion, the victim said Gibbs must have phoned her 100 times and messaged her insulting her and sent her messages saying, 'you will regret this', 'I'm driving down', 'you really pick your boyfriends far from you' and then called her and said, 'I know where you are now'.
The victim hung up the phone and was walking towards Preston from Weymouth's town centre when Gibbs came up to her and tried to 'grab' her hand and said, 'I'm really sorry, please take me back'.
Gibbs walked with the victim towards the Oasis Cafe on Bowleaze Coveway, where she took refuge away from him.
She then started walking again when Gibbs returned and pulled up to her in his car.
The victim continued to tell him to leave her alone, whilst Gibbs started 'begging' her to get in his car and said to her 'come on, get in'.
The victim said she was 'really scared' and called her friend to get her.
The victim's friend drove her to work and said that her boss had told her Gibbs had been to her place of work looking for her.
The victim said Gibbs then continued to call her while she was at work and said, 'you know you left your boys bedroom window open, don't you think that's silly' and told her someone could climb into their room and get in the house.
Gibbs also left flowers and a note at the victim's address and continued to call and message her.
Following this incident the victim contacted another ex-partner of Gibbs who said he had behaved similarly in their relationship.
Mitigating, Ryan Murray, said that the incident took place over six days which he considered to be a 'short period of time'.
He said Gibbs had 'harboured hope of reconciling the relationship' and had shown 'genuine remorse' and said he accepts that the behaviour towards his ex was 'unwarranted'.
Mr Murray said that Gibbs was a man of 'good character' who would continue his 'law abiding ways'.
Chair of the bench, Frederick Fearn, said: "The offence of stalking is serious enough for us to make a community order." Gibbs was issued a 12-month community order and must undertake 80 hours of unpaid work.
He was also given a 12-month restraining order with the conditions that he must not contact, directly or indirectly, the victim and must not attend her place of work or the enter the street where she lives.
