Man jailed for stalking woman despite Suffolk ban

Why it matters: John Sayers, of no fixed abode but previously from the Ipswich area, had been made subject of a domestic abuse protection order with conditions not to enter Suffolk or contact the victim. He breached those conditions on multiple occasions over four days.

The details: Sayers appeared at Ipswich Magistrates' Court on Friday, 31 July, having previously pleaded guilty to stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

Between 24 and 27 July, Sayers attended the victim's address several times:

• On one occasion, he threw stones at her window in the early hours of the morning, shouting from outside to speak to her.
• On another day, he left a large cuddly toy on her doorstep.
• He later posted several letters through her letterbox, in which he intimated that he planned to harm himself.

One visit was captured on the victim's doorbell camera, in which he can be heard asking neighbours to call an ambulance for him.

Sayers was initially taken to hospital for treatment to self-inflicted injuries, before being arrested by police and taken to Martlesham Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

He was sentenced to 12 weeks' imprisonment, handed a two-year restraining order and ordered to pay costs totalling £239.

What they're saying: Detective Sergeant Wendy Pritchard, who was the officer in charge of the case, said: "Sayers demonstrated unwanted, obsessive and fixated behaviour whilst repeatedly ignoring court orders. He has shown a complete disregard for the impact his actions have had on the victim.

"His behaviour was totally unacceptable, and his custodial sentence reflects that.

"I would urge anyone who has been impacted by stalking behaviour or abuse to report it to us."

For context: Anyone affected by stalking or abuse is encouraged to contact police, or the Suffolk Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0800 977 5690. Advice and support on stalking and harassment is available via the Suffolk Constabulary website, with a list of support organisations available here.

The bottom line: Sayers ignored a court order designed to protect his victim, escalating his behaviour over several days before his arrest. He is now subject to a further two-year restraining order.

Don't forget: If you enjoy our content, please add Ipswich.co.uk as a "preferred source" on Google so you can easily find more of the content you value.

This article cost us ~£21 to produce

It's free for you to read thanks to the generous support of our partners. Please support us by supporting them.