A man obsessed with his ex-girlfriend left her “petrified” and suffering from nightmares after an assault and persistent harassment over several months.
Andrew Davis, 27, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court today (28 September) having been found guilty of assault and harassment at a trial on 28 June this year. He previously admitted a charge of malicious communications and two non-molestation order breaches.
Crown prosecutor Natalie Cheeseman said the defendant, of Cheney Manor Road, Swindon, the first incident – an assault – occurred on 18 September 2020.
Davis strangled his then-girlfriend, grabbed her to prevent her from leaving the address and blocked her from fleeing from a window. When she attempted to call 999, he took her phone and hung up.
Around a month later, on 10 October, she told him that she was not happy and ended the relationship.
Due to his behaviour after the break-up, she applied for a non-molestation order. It was granted for 12 months by Swindon Magistrates’ Court on 28 October.
The court heard that between 26 October and 19 November last year, and 24 January and 16 February this year, Davis attempted to contact his victim via social media using fake profiles on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. The messages would initially start off friendly before he turned nasty.
On 8 November, he sent her a photograph of himself lying on a bed with his penis exposed. Moments later, he sent a photograph of his penis and ejaculate on his stomach.
Ms Cheeseman said that Davis has been turning up at her home, looking for her in pubs she would drink at in Highworth, sending photographs of her house and dropping items and notes on her doorstep.
‘Whenever I leave my house I am worried I may bump into him and I am worried about what he may do’, his ex-girlfriend wrote in a victim impact statement.
She added: ‘He is obsessed with talking to talk to me. I think he would do anything to do that, and that petrifies me… I cannot get on with my life, I feel totally exhausted.’
It was heard how his victim had contemplated self-harming and was suffering nightmares as a result of Davis’ behaviour.
As well as the convictions dealt with during today’s hearing, the court that the defendant was convicted of breaching the non-molestation order in December 2020. He was previously sentenced for this offence and was ordered to pay a financial penalty.
District Judge Joanna Dickens and prosecutor Ms Cheeseman agreed that the set of new offences were in the most serious category (A1), which carries a prison sentence of up to four years.
Davis was a man of few words when he represented himself. He stated he was in ‘a bad situation at that time in my life’, adding that he admits he ‘made bad decisions’.
When he went on to say he wanted answers about ‘things she had done in the relationship’, Ms Dickens interrupted – stating: ‘Well we’re not going to get into that’.
She continued: ‘This was a horrendous series of events… it’s all about strength and power, it’s a serious breach of trust and a really nasty assault.
‘It must have been absolutely terrifying. She was controlled by you, it’s like a horror movie. You are a manipulative bully I’m afraid, you’ve treated her in an appalling manner.
‘She’s always frightened you’re going to do something to her. Why is she frightened? Because you always doing something to her.
‘She’s soldiering on here, she makes her [non-molestation order] and you contiued to make those approaches on social meida. Not stopping there, you carrying on and there is more in Janaury and a conviction in December. You have shown a huge disrespect for the law.
‘You must get your head around that you are a perpetrator of domestic violence.’
Ms Dickens sentenced Davis to one-year imprisonment suspended for two years.
After formally reserving any future offending to herself, she said: ‘If you commit any more offences in the next two years, you are going to go to prison’.
He must also complete the Building Better Relationships Programme and 100 hours of unpaid work. Ms Dickens imposed a restraining order prohibiting Davis from contacting his victim or entering her street.
