EX-LOVER STALKED FORMER GIRLFRIEND IN £4,000 DISPUTE OVER WHO PAID FOR HER WINDOWS
A stalker who left a chilling birthday message in chalk for his former partner has been sentenced after being found guilty of harassment.Tony Blake, aged 59, from Small Heath, pursued his ex-partner over several weeks following the end of their five-year relationship, claiming she owed him thousands of pounds for work carried out on her home.
Blake, of Tennyson Road, tracked the woman to her workplace and sent a series of unsettling emails that referenced what she was wearing and urged her to listen to certain songs.
Although he admitted to some actions, Blake denied the charge of stalking.
However, he was convicted following a trial at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
On Thursday, 13 May, he was handed an 18-month community order and a restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim for the same duration.
Prosecutor Jonathan Purser told the court that the harassment occurred in June 2020, around a year after the couple’s relationship had ended.
Blake began by sending emails demanding payment specifically £4,300 for windows he claimed to have installed at her property.
The woman disputed this, asserting that expenses were shared while they lived together.
Mr Purser said: “The emails then included descriptions of the clothes she was wearing on the way to work and comments on how she had changed her behaviour.
Despite her replies stating ‘don’t message me again’, further messages followed.
He said he would approach her, encouraged her to listen to certain songs, questioned why she wasn’t wearing a mask, and even wished her happy birthday.” Within a month, Blake had sent 16 emails.
On 9 June, the woman heard someone shouting behind her, but when she turned around, no one was there.
Then, on 22 June, while walking to work, she spotted a message written in chalk on the pavement: “Happy birthday for yesterday.” She felt ‘uneasy’ and crossed the street only to hear a man’s voice, which sounded like Blake’s, shouting “Happy birthday.” His face was obscured.
CCTV footage also captured Blake delivering a birthday card to her place of work at 7:10am on another occasion.
He was later seen approaching a car she was in after she got off a train.
He was ultimately arrested.
“At the police station, he accepted sending multiple emails, stating he wanted £4,300 for the windows,” said Mr Purser.
“However, he denied the other allegations.” Representing himself at sentencing, Blake claimed the allegations had been 'put a certain way' by the complainant and maintained his denial of specific elements, including the chalk message.
"She could have wrote that herself," he told the court.
However, he stated that he 'accepted' the trial's verdict and was prepared to face the consequences.
He also said he planned to pursue the financial claim through civil court.
As part of the community order, Blake must observe a 10-week curfew between 8pm and 7am and complete 25 days of rehabilitation activity.
He was also ordered to pay £300 in prosecution costs and a £95 victim surcharge.
The restraining order includes a clause allowing indirect contact through solicitors regarding any legal proceedings.
