A FLINTSHIRE man who embarked on a 'sinister campaign' of stalking against his ex-partner has been jailed.
Gareth Jones, of Manor Lane in Bagillt, appeared before Mold Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday, October 15.
The 32-year-old had previously, on July 2, pleaded guilty to two counts of stalking and two counts of criminal damage.
Emmalyne Downing, prosecuting, told the court that the offences related to Jones' relationship with former partner Stephanie Jones.
The pair had entered into a relationship in June 2023, but had been friends since they were 15-years-old before that.
It was described by Ms Jones as an 'on-off relationship'.
After this, the defendant embarked on a campaign of 'sinister' behaviour between February and May 30 of this year.
The prosecution explained that the complainant had moved in to her mother's house as of February 24 and had discovered a 'tracking device' on her car soon after that.
When questioned by is ex-partner, Jones admitted to having put the device there, adding that he 'didn't want her being with anyone else'.
Soon after, Ms Jones had gone out for a meal with another man - believing that the tracker had since been turned off.
However, Jones turned up at the venue despite her not having said where she was going and he told the man that she was his girlfriend.
Jones and his former partner then moved back in together in March of this year, singing a tenancy agreement. But, the arguments became 'constant' and they subsequently decided to live together 'as friends'.
On April 27, the defendant urged Ms Jones 'not to come' and swore at and made threats towards her sister. He put 'something' in the keyhole to stop her getting in to the property and made a false claim to police that Ms Jones had 'threatened to kill him'.
She was arrested before he admitted that he had lied and apologised.
On May 22, Ms Jones received further abusive messages from Jones which made her worry about her dog.
That same night, he was messing around with the fuel cap of Ms Jones' Saab car and returned an hour or so later, telling her; 'I wouldn't start your car in the morning'.
He also scratched the vehicle with a key from the driver door to the passenger door, which was the first criminal damage charge in the case.
After this, Jones was arrested, before being given conditional bail which stated that he must not contact his ex-partner.
However, on June 28 he sent further messages to her, threatening to kill her dog from an unknown number. A call later on from that number led to Ms Jones recognising his voice.
Later that night, there was a knock at Ms Jones' door - she saw the defendant standing there and screamed.
CCTV footage of this incident was played out in court and showed Jones picking up a concrete slab from the garden before throwing it at the door.
This smashed the double glazed back windows on the door, leading to the second criminal damage offence which Judge Rhys Rowlands described as a 'terrifying incident'.
From 10.05pm that evening to the next morning, Jones 'bombarded' his ex-partner with threats, including to drown her dog, and attempted to make over 70 phone calls.
A victim personal statement from Ms Jones which was read out by the prosecution in court said that the incidents had left her 'afraid to be in her own home'.
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She had also lost a job and suffered panic attacks as a result of Jones' actions, the court heard.
Dafydd Roberts, defending, said that Jones was 'sorry for the behaviour he displayed' and 'now accepts completely that this relationship is over'.
Judge Rowlands described Jones' behaviour as 'extremely serious' and 'obsessive'.
He said: "This was a deliberate ignoring of the bail conditions and you showed a determination to carry on the behaviour. It was a sinister campaign to pressurise her (Ms Jones) and made her life pretty miserable."
Jones was sentenced to 32 months in jail for the stalking offences, but faced no separate penalty for the criminal damage offences.
A restraining order was also made to last for 10 years.
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