Tom Wakenshaw – Newmarket

Article from 22/05/26:

NEWMARKET STALKER IN COURT AS TIKTOK ROMANCE TURNS SOUR

A man became obsessive after being rejected by a woman he had a “brief” romance with after meeting her on social media.

Tom Wakenshaw, 44, had met the woman through TikTok and shared a “very brief” relationship with her, Suffolk Magistrates’ Court was told.

The woman did not wish to progress this any further. However, when she rejected his advances, Wakenshaw became “increasingly angry”, the court heard.

Between October 2 and November 3 last year, he messaged her repeatedly, left voicemails, went to her home and place of work and left with a present for her, and even contacted her family and friends.

Wakenshaw also threatened to share intimate photographs of the woman.

His behaviour caused her to move house, and she began using public transport rather than driving because she felt safer around other people.

The court heard the woman was left feeling “paranoid” and constantly looking around for Wakenshaw, fearful he would turn up.

Wakenshaw, meanwhile, was said to have since accepted that the brief relationship had been more meaningful to him than to the victim. It was heard that he was part of the “racing community” in Newmarket, a field he had worked in for 30 years.

Wakenshaw admitted stalking and threatening to send out intimate photos of the victim before the court.

In sentencing Wakenshaw, of St Marys Square, Newmarket, the magistrate chair Christopher Day commented that he seemed “remorseful” and was “hopefully at the cusp of turning your life around and putting this obsessiveness behind you”.

Wakenshaw was handed an 18-month community order requiring him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and up to 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.