Jilted man put tracker on ex's car and made her life a misery
Jilted man put tracker on ex's car and made her life a misery
The victim said Ian Andrew's stalking was relentless. He made phone calls, sent texts and created fake social media accounts. He left flowers cut from strangers' gardens on her car and sent gifts
Ian Andrews, sentenced to three years and nine months for stalking his ex
(Image: Gwent Police )
A stalker who couldn't deal with the fact his partner had left him went on to make her life a misery. Ian Andrews, of York Terrace in Tredegar, 'relentlessly' stalked his ex until she became so exhausted she was too unwell to go to work or leave her own home.
Andrews, who had previous convictions for harassment and offences of a similar nature, couldn't deal with the fact his new partner had left him last year when he embarked on a stalking campaign which consumed his new victim's life.
Mathew Comer, prosecuting, told Newport Crown Court on Friday the defendant would continue to leave 'gifts' at the victim's house and at her workplace, fitted a tracker to her car and kept creating new profiles on social media to message her.
On one occasion, Andrews left white roses on the woman's car outside her work that he had stolen from a nearby resident's garden. Mr Comer said his offending was relentless and was designed in its nature to cause maximum distress.
During Gwent Police's investigation the force discovered a tracker located under the woman's vehicle in February of this year.
In a statement read out to the court the woman said: 'I initially made the report to the police when I felt anxious and drained. This is because I made a number of reports before he was arrested.
'I couldn't open my front door without him being in my view. I worried when I left the house, always looking over my shoulder.
'He'd be in my work car park. On one occasion I was at work and a customer told me someone put flowers on my car. White roses had been placed on my wind screen.
'The following day he asked me if I'd received the flowers and told me he had cut them out of someone's garden. Who would do that?
'During the investigation a tracker was located under my vehicle. My anxiety since has been uncontrollable. It got to the point where I was worried about going to work because I was so drained.
'I'm exhausted. I would go out to Tredegar at the weekend and enjoy nights out and have a good time, but since reporting what happened to me to the police I have not been out at all in Tredegar as I feel I constantly have to look over my shoulder.'
Andrews had seven previous convictions for 10 offences including harassment. Sophie Jones, defending, told the court Andrews, 39, had acknowledged his behaviour was not appropriate, even though he had denied stalking and was convicted by a jury at a trial. Judge Celia Hughes was also reminded that the defendant has been in custody awaiting trial since October 2024.
Judge Hughes told Andrews in the dock: 'You had been in a relationship for two years with the complainant before these allegations. You refused to accept she ended the relationship which ended after she realised your previous convictions.
'You went to her home uninvited and you contacted her by letter, phone, social media, and you sent her unwanted gifts such as flowers, wine and money. You knew her car's location and what may have been a tracker was found on her car. There was clearly an element of sophistication.
'You created fake social media accounts and used those of your children to contact her. There is no doubt this all had a substantial effect on her both physically and financially. Your conduct was intended to cause maximum fear and distress. Your previous convictions are a major aggravating feature.
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'It is somewhat ironic Mr Andrews that you own an XL Bully dog because that name could also be used to describe you. You blame victims and blame your actions on your abuse of cocaine. Your sense of entitlement came across during your trial.'
Andrews was sentenced to three years and nine months immediate custody. Judge Hughes also imposed a restraining order preventing the defendant from contacting the victim or her family in any way.
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