Ex-policeman faked MI6 role to win back girlfriend
Stalker who hired actress to pretend he was a spy in elaborate ruse to impress is found guilty of harassment
A FORMER policeman hired an actress to pretend he was an MI6 agent in an attempt to impress his ex-girlfriend into taking him back.
David Fisher said he was “stupid, strange and desperate” in his attempts to make his former partner meet up with him, but claimed his actions did not amount to stalking.
His former partner said the 29-yearold was “very kind” but she ended their relationship when she discovered he had been lying about his occupation.
Fisher had told his girlfriend from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, he was a store manager at Sainsbury’s in Epsom, Surrey. She ended their seven-month relationship in October last year when she discovered he worked for a branch of the discount chain B&M. After the break-up Fisher, a former policeman who was suspended after committing a series of driving offences, persistently tried to contact her, sending her daily emails and calling her up to 50 times in one week.
The harassment culminated in December, when he paid actor Hannah Jackson to go round to his ex-girlfriend’s house and tell her he was an MI6 agent.
When police told her Fisher’s name was not on their records, she became suspicious and arranged for officers to intercept a meeting she had arranged with Ms Jackson at her home.
In his defence, Fisher said he had “no closure” from the relationship. He added: “I wanted to believe she wanted to meet up. It was stupid, strange and desperate.”
He claimed he had not intended his ex-girlfriend to believe his MI6 agent stunt, he “just wanted to meet her for a drink” after she realised it was not real.
But Amanda Burrows, prosecuting, told the court there was “no doubt that this man has subjected this woman to a great deal of harassment”.
His former partner said the pair went for their first date in Tunbridge Wells Bar & Grill after speaking on match.com, the dating website, in March 2016. “I would go out after work and socialise with my work colleagues and friends, and it was clear he found that an issue,” she said. “I felt very claustrophobic and overwhelmed.”
Fisher was found guilty of harassment by way of stalking at Sevenoaks magistrates’ court. He will be sentenced on Wednesday and is banned from contacting his ex-girlfriend. Chairman of the bench, Nick Benstedsmith, said: “You caused distress and we regard this as unreasonable.”