Court: Buckley stalker jailed after leaving ex petrified

Warren Jones, of Wheatley Court in Buckley, was produced in custody at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Wednesday for sentence.

The 33-year-old had admitted five offences at a previous hearing; including four of harassment by breach of restraining order and one of stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

Prosecutor Justin Espie told the court that Jones and his victim, Kirsty Griffiths, had been in a relationship for six years prior to their separation in September 2023.

After the breakup, Ms Griffiths reported numerous incidents of domestic harassment by Jones, leading to a court imposing a restraining order upon him in November last year.

It prohibited him from entering any property where she lived, as well as contacting her - including by third parties.

But on December 14, very soon after the order was imposed, the victim's friend sent her screenshots of messages from Jones in which he references his intention to "continue to f*** her life up," referring to Ms Griffiths.

Mr Espie said the defendant would have known the messages would be passed on.

Then on January 5, another friend sent Ms Griffiths screenshots of messages from Jones, saying his ex-partner was "being watched all the time."

He made reference to the colour of clothing she wore that day. 

And concerningly, he was correct.

The victim and her friends became concerned that the defendant was showing "obsessive behaviour."

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Mr Espie said the examples he'd given were only a "snapshot" of the messages the defendant sent over a number of weeks, which constituted numerous offences regarding his breaching of the restraining order, as well as his stalking charge.

Jones had "clearly attempted to circumvent the restraining order," he said, which left the victim "petrified."

Warren Jones (NWP) (Image: North Wales Police)The court heard Jones has a previous conviction for stalking without fear, alarm or distress - committed against the same victim - which gave rise to the restraining order. 

Mike Pugh, defending, told the court: "In fairness, he entered his guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity.

"The court on the last occasion remanded him in custody and in the interim he's been at HMP Berwyn for just over three weeks.

"He is open in saying he's found it incredibly tough; it's been a short, sharp shock to him, impacting his mental health which was already in some difficulty before his incarceration.

"He wants to work with probation and doesn't want to find himself in that position ever again."

Mr Pugh said while the contact with the victim had not been direct, he accepted that receiving the messages via her friends would have been very concerning to her.

"He takes full accountability for his actions and understands they are unacceptable," he said.

The Magistrates concluded that the offending was so serious, only immediate custody could be justified.

As such, Jones received a total sentence of 24 weeks for the offences.