DESPERATE DAD, 65, IS TOLD TO STAY AWAY FROM HIS EX-WIFE
Pensioner slapped with five-year ban
PENSIONER Anthony White subjected his former wife to months of harassment because he wanted access to his children.
The 65-year-old targeted his victim between June 1 and August 10.
He later admitted a charge of harassment and was handed a suspended prison sentence and a two-year restraining order which bars him from contacting his victim or going within 100 metres of her Meir home.
But when White went to Stoke-onTrent Crown Court to appeal against his sentence he was hit with a fiveyear restraining order.
During the two-and-a-half month period this summer, White:
Constantly sent his victim texts which she blocked;
Attended her home and banged on her door and windows; Squirted a liquid on her windows; Damaged her front door lock.
Nick Tatlow, representing the respondent, said: “It was an abusive relationship which ended in an incident of violence on December 27, 2015 which led to a conviction on February 4, 2016 for battery.
“There were other incidents when the appellant went to her home and threatened one day he would kill her.
“There were further incidents in
August and September 2019 when he turned up unannounced.
“On May 11 she received the first of a series of letters pushed through her letterbox. They were requests from him asking to see the children.
“There were more visits to the address on August 4. She could not get back in because he had damaged the door lock. She sought the help of neighbours.
“The following day a neighbour took her to a locksmith and she left the neighbour’s wife in her house to look after the children. While she was out the appellant again went to the house and banged loudly on the door. The neighbour would not let him in. A neighbour rang the police. He was banging on the front door and the windows. When his former wife returned home he was still hanging around in a street nearby.
“The appellant constantly tried to text her but she blocked his calls and texts.”
White went to his ex-wife’s home at 10.30pm on August 8.
Mr Tatlow added: “She had retired to bed for the evening. She had a CCTV system set up and saw the appellant outside squirting something at her front windows.
“This was persistent action over a prolonged period.”
Kelly Cyples, representing the appellant, of Wimborne Avenue, Newstead, said White made admissions in his police interview and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
She said the parties had managed to maintain amicable contact for about three years.
Miss Cyples said: “It appears the complainant changed her mind about her willingness to allow him to see his children.
“She never told him not to contact her. She ignored him and hoped he would get the message. He was left wondering why he was no longer being allowed access. His frustrations got the better of him and he did not act in a way that was appropriate. His behaviour spiralled. He then spiralled into depression. We were all in lockdown. He was living alone with no access to his children. His mental health got the better of him as well.”
Judge David Fletcher considered the appeal alongside two magistrates.
He told White: “If we were all to take the law into our own hands there would be chaos. This was conduct intended to maximise distress. It was persistent and over a long period of time.”