Gavin Doe – North Walsham

Article from 04/10/22:

MAN JAILED FOR STALKING FORMER PARTNER

A man stalked his former partner for months after they broke up, with the ordeal pushing her “almost beyond endurance”.

Gavin Doe, 43, stalked his ex-girlfriend over an eight-month period during which time he called her repeatedly, followed her in his car and attended her home.

Norwich Crown Court heard Doe had even left flowers at her home address and a “coffee cup on top of her car” in the months since they split in November 2021 following a three year relationship.

Nick Wells, prosecuting, said it was a “repeated” course of conduct by Doe “amounting to stalking”.

Mr Wells said it was in the form of phone calls and messages, attending her home, meeting her in public on foot and following her in his vehicle.

Doe, of Church Road, Felmingham,, near North Walsham, appeared in court on Tuesday (October 4) having previously admitted stalking between November 2021 and June 2022.

Before he was sentenced, the court heard a statement from the victim who said she has “no quality of life” and felt “it would never be over”.

She has been in “survival mode” for her children but had felt “unable to stay in her own home” and has stayed with her mother.

The victim said Doe had said if she was to ever get another partner he would “attack them and stab them in the neck”.

Mr Wells said she had suffered “emotional and psychological” injury as a result of Doe’s behaviour.

She described how she had previously been carefree but was now “constantly looking around to see if she was being followed”.

Sentencing Doe to six months imprisonment, Judge Anthony Bate said Doe was clearly “besotted” with the victim and behaved in a way she found “almost beyond endurance”.

He said: “It’s worn her down and caused her real and sustained harm.”

Judge Bate added: “You made a thorough nuisance of yourself and would not take no for an answer”.

John Morgans, mitigating, said it was “not a case of threats” but more of being “unpleasant” and of “unwanted contact”.

He said: “He’s genuinely sorry for what he’s done.”

Doe was made the subject of an indefinite restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his partner directly or indirectly.