Menace terrified victims with vile sex messages
A sinister menace who daubed sexual slogans on women's cars and homes has been put behind bars.
Jeffrey Burke used a black markerpentoscrawlvilecomments on strangers' vehicles and front doors.
Newcastle Crown Court heard some victims were targeted repeatedly and Burke used words to describe their appearance, which let them know they had been watched.
The 52-year-old pest left a pair of pink knickers on the wing mirror of one victim's car and heavy breathed through theintercomofanotherfrightenedwoman,aftercausingterror by repeatedly tapping on her window.
Even after being arrested and given a sexual risk order, Burke breached it by creeping intoagardentostealawoman's underwearwhichhadbeenleft out to dry.
The court heard Burke has a previous conviction for sexually assaulting a female in a park in Sunderland and for confronting a woman with a screwdriverduringaburglary.
He has twice been caught with ladies underwear in his home when it was searched.
Prosecutor Annelise Haugstad told the court in the latest offences nine women who livedintwoareasofGateshead, came under attack between January 2019 and December 2020.
One victim was left "very spooked" when her car was vandalised with sexualised graffiti three times over a 21-month period.
Another woman's car was targetedfourtimes,withwordingsuchas"Iloveyourbig **** ".
The court heard a victim found the words "lovely body for your age" on her car and a few days later she found pink underwear on the wing mirror, with the words "I want to seeyouwearingthese,blondie", scrawledon the paintwork.
The court heard one woman was bombarded with constant tapping on her window, whenever she switched her lights on in the morning.
He then progressed to calling her via intercom and heavy breathing and one time said: "Do you still get up at the same time every morning? I like to watch you get in the shower and get ready for work".
She was left "terrified". Women's front doors were alsodefacedwiththeshocking daubings,whichleftthemfeeling vulnerable and paranoid.
Burkewasarrestedandgiven a sexual risk order in October 2022, but a week later was found on enclosed premises trying to steal underwear. The followingmonthhestolewomen's underwear from a drying rack in a garden.
Headmittedchargesofharassment, criminal damage, theft,havinganarticlewithintent to commit criminal damage (a marker pen) and breach of a sexual risk order.
Judge Julie Clemitson sentenced Burke, of Fern Dene Road, Gateshead, to two years behindbarsandissuedlifelong restrainingorderstokeephim away from the women.
The judge said: "This was a campaign of harassment against nine women."
TonyDavis,defending,said Burke has mental health disorders