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Ex-husband bugged headteacher wife's car with tracker and voice recorder hidden under steering wheel, court hears
A headteacher was stalked by her ex-husband who bugged her new car with a voice recorder and tracker months after they filed for divorce.
Louise Quaid said Darren Grada left her 'very jumpy' and 'hyper vigilant' after he secretly bugged her vehicle and listened to her conversations.
A court heard how Ms Quaid bought a new car in February 2024, four months after the couple filed for divorce.
But on three successive days that month 59-year-old Grada turned up at her location - prompting Ms Quaid, the executive principal of two schools for pupils with complex learning difficulties - to search the vehicle.
This led to the discovery of a voice recording device under the steering wheel, a judge was told.
The victim told Portsmouth Magistrates' Court that managing the anxiety her ex-husband caused her with his 'intrusive' behaviour - which included damaging her car - felt like a 'full time job'.
Grada has now been sentenced to a 12-month community order at Portsmouth Magistrates Court, Hants, after pleading guilty to stalking and criminal damage against Ms Quaid, who he was married to for seven years.
He was also issued with a five-year restraining order which prevents him from going to her home as well as the schools she works at.
Laura Jenking-Rees, prosecuting, told the court on Friday that after searching her car, Ms Quaid found a voice recorder hidden under the steering wheel.
Louise Quaid said Darren Grada left her 'very jumpy' and 'hyper vigilant' after he secretly bugged her vehicle and listened to her conversations
She also found a tracker in the car, and there was some damage which she believed Grada was responsible for.
The court heard that four months later, in June, Grada also turned up at a house when Ms Quaid was supposed to be there - something he tried to pass off as a coincidence.
He also appeared to follow her in his car on another occasion.
The prosecutor said: 'Driving again, (Ms Quaid) sees him parked up. He appears to follow her, stops behind he drives off.'
After Ms Quaid reported her ex-husband to the police, they seized Grada's phone and found audio files on it which were recordings of a 'female speaking in a car'.
Ms Jenking-Rees told the court: 'He has effectively recorded conversations while she has been in the car.'
In a victim impact statement read by the prosecutor to the court, Ms Quaid said that the stalking 'affects her work'.
She added that she now feels 'very jumpy' and 'hyper vigilant' when she goes out.
Ms Quaid said: 'I reflect on these matters, I have stress and anxiety all the time.
'It's been like a full-time job managing my anxiety.'
She is the executive principal for two special schools - Littlegreen Academy in Chichester, West Sussex, which teaches boys aged 7-16 years and rated Good by Ofsted, and Redwood Park Academy in Portsmouth, Hampshire, which is for children between 11 and 16 years old and classed as Outstanding by the education watchdog.
Bridget O'Hagan, defending, said that the offences were committed when Grada was at 'his rock bottom'.
Sentencing, Deputy District Judge Kevin Hill, told Grada he was guilty of 'serious matters' and said the use of a voice recorder and tracking device 'makes it particularly serious because of the intrusive nature of that, and I have heard the impact that these matters have had on her.'
Judge Hill noted that Grada was 'ashamed' of his behaviour.
As part of his sentence, Grada, of Hayling Island, Hampshire, must complete 20 sessions of rehabilitation activities and 80 hours of unpaid work.
He must also pay a £114 surcharge and costs of £85.
