MAN JAILED FOR SECRETLY BUGGING EX'S HOME FOR FIVE YEARS

A man known as Steven Gauci has been convicted for a campaign of controlling and abusive behaviour towards his ex-partner. The court heard that Gauci, 53, subjected the woman to years of domestic abuse and secretly planted seven listening devices in her home, hidden in electrical sockets, in a sinister invasion of her privacy. The woman reported living in "crippling" fear, feeling "sick", paranoid, and unsafe within her own home. Gauci had made multiple threats to kill her during their relationship and was driven by jealousy and the desire to control every aspect of her life. He demanded she get back with him, and when she tried to move on in 2016, he became extremely jealous, threatening to shoot and bury her, and forcing her to break off her other relationship at gunpoint. His controlling tendencies persisted, including searching through her phone and demanding video calls to monitor her whereabouts. The relationship ended again in 2020, but two years later, she discovered listening devices hidden in her home, installed since 2017. Gauci was found guilty of stalking and coercive and controlling behaviour at Newcastle Crown Court. He admitted stalking but denied controlling conduct, which the jury convicted him of. The court sentenced Gauci to two years and nine months in prison and issued an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting his victim. The judge described Gauci’s actions as "a shocking invasion of her privacy" fueled by jealousy, which culminated in planting the listening devices. The victim expressed that she felt she would "never be the same" and that her trust had been shattered. The court's decision included a restraining order to protect her from future contact.