Stalker used listening device hidden inside phone charger to spy on victim
MAN JAILED FOR TWO YEARS AND GIVEN FIVE-YEAR RESTRAINING ORDER
A CREEPY stalker installed a listening device in a phone charger to spy on his victim, a court heard.
Jonathan Franklin, 36, of Grimsby Road, Cleethorpes, gave a phone charger to his female victim who was unaware all her conversations and actions were being monitored.
At Grimsby Crown Court, Franklin was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of stalking. He was also given a five-year restraining order.
The incidents took place between August 2021 and February 2022, when Franklin installed a secret listening device into a phone charger before giving it to his victim.
He then used this to listen to what was happening in the victim’s home before sending her messages about things that he had heard, causing her to fear for her safety. This behaviour caused his victim to suspect he had installed surveillance devices in her home, and further investigations revealed that a listening device had been placed in the charger that he had given her.
Humberside Police officer PC Jak Shephard said: “Firstly, I would like to commend the victim for her bravery throughout the investigation and court proceedings.
“She has shown huge bravery and I hope that she can feel some sense of justice from the sentence that has been given to Franklin.
“This was a particularly disturbing case where a devious stalker went to extreme lengths to invade his victim’s privacy. Not only that, he then went on to cause her huge fear and distress by relaying details of her private life to her in his messages, making her own home feel like an unsafe place for her to be.
“I am reassured that he is off our streets and unable to continue tormenting his victim.
“We take reports of stalking and harassment incredibly serious and I would like to offer my reassurance to anyone that had experienced similar behaviour that we will listen and we will support you.
“If you have been the victim of stalking or harassment, there are various ways you can report it to the police.
“You can speak to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, or you can report directly through our 101 number, or 999 in an emergency.”
This was a particularly disturbing case where a devious stalker went to extreme lengths to invade his victim’s privacy PC Jak Shephard