COURT: Sealand farmer jailed for stalking ex-partner

Jonathan Harley, of Deeside Lane in Sealand, appeared at Mold Crown Court for sentence on Tuesday.

The 45-year-old had admitted offences of stalking and sending malicious communications at a previous hearing.

Thomas McLoughlin, prosecuting, told the court that the victim of the stalking was Victoria Mulverhill, a farm worker and Harley's 32-year-old ex partner.

They separated in July 2022 after the relationship "became sour" and in her words, Harley didn't take it well.

He "continually messaged and called" Ms Mulverhill, using different sims if she blocked his number.

In August 2022, Harley rang his victim's boss at a farm in Cambridge, telling him Ms Mulverhill had 'applied for another job' and asking 'if she'd had sex with anyone at work.'

Harley hung up when asked who he was.

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Then in September, when Ms Mulverhill started a new job, she received messages on TikTok telling her: "I'm calling the company you work for."

She suspected it was the defendant.

Sure enough, the next day, her new boss received a call from someone with a 'Yorkshire accent' accusing the victim of illegally driving a tractor whilst using her phone.

The same man called back again some days later repeating the allegation, and then again the next month to accuse the victim of stealing from him.

Harley also contacted a couple named Stuart and Emma Banks - who ran a farm where the defendant had previously worked.

In a series of calls, during which he was described as "psychotic", Harley accused Mr Banks of having had an affair with Ms Mulverhill.

Jonathan Harley (North Wales Police) (Image: North Wales Police)

He appeared to be "under the influence of drugs" and when he contacted Mrs Banks, someone who had initially considered him a friend, he continued to "ramble about the affair."

Mrs Banks told him to stop and that he needed help, but he responded by threatening her and her husband, as well as their wider family.

And aggravating matters for Harley, the court heard, were his previous convictions for stalking and harassment, as well as breaches of a restraining order and suspended sentence.

In her victim personal statement, Ms Mulverhill said her ex-partner's behaviour had left her completely traumatised.

She said the offences caused her to lose work, family and friends.

"He will never, ever stop," she said.

"He never learns and is not bothered by the police and courts.

"He ignores everyone and does what he wants to do.

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"I am begging the court to protect me from Jonathan Harley."

Oliver Saddington, defending, said his client's pre-sentence report regarded him as "a resentful stalker," but explained: "It seems that when confronted with the evidence, he is able to reflect on and appreciate just how invasive and wrong his behaviour is.

"We listened to some of the messages he sent to the victim, and he told me to turn them off.

"He wants to apologise.

"This was a relationship against a difficult background; only after the death of Mr Harley's father did the defendant and the complainant get to know each other.

"He was prescribed anti-depressants to assist with the bereavement and they made him feel worse.

"He recognises drinking and substance misuse provide zero assistance to his mental health."

Mr Saddington said his client runs a "profitable" farm and has a love of working with nature.

He feared that in the event of an immediate custodial term, the farm would be impacted considerably in terms of his livestock and contracts.

Recorder Simon Mills told the defendant his behaviour had been "absolutely disgraceful."

He said: "I accept your overall apology about what you did - but you did make hints to the probation service about Mr Banks that in some way he deserved the sort of thing you were saying to him.

"I accept there are gaps in your record and you haven't been in court for some time, but the fact is your behaviour here in this case sends me a clear message that you have not learned from the previous sentences you have received.

"You live on a family farm which is ticking over, and a period of incarceration leads you to fear the business will go bankrupt.

"I accept sending you to prison will have a harmful impact on others, but I will say given your record you should have thought about that before behaving in the way you did."

In total, Harley received a 22 month immediate custodial sentence.