Man scared ex with homophobic abuse

A nuisance boyfriend scared his ex after he pestered her with homophobic insults and abuse during voicemail messages, texts and phone calls.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Wednesday, September 7, how Jacob Roberts, 27, of Newbold Road, Chesterfield, had been wrongly informed that his ex-girlfriend was homosexual but this triggered a tirade of harassment.

Prosecuting solicitor Sarah Haslam said: “The couple had been in a relationship for four-and-half years but due to persistent arguments they separated earlier this year. The complainant’s friend told her she had spoken to the defendant and told him something which was untrue and she called the defendant to say she had been angry about what had been said.”

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But Roberts left her a message of a homophobic nature, according to Ms Haslam, and she had tried to call him but he threatened to go to her grandmother and threatened to smash the complainant’s windows.

Ms Haslam added: “She went to her home address and found the outer pane of a double-glazed window was smashed. The same day she received a message from an unknown number from the defendant saying that if he saw her he would rip her head off and break every bone in her body and he sent texts with the word ‘die’ used 42 times.”

There were also six missed calls with voicemail messages recorded on the victim’s phone, according to Ms Haslam, with insults including homophobic abuse and one saying “you’re dead”.

Miss Haslam also revealed how the complainant received a message from a friend to say her four car tyres had been slashed which the defendant later admitted doing.

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Roberts also made 87 missed calls in a short period, according to Ms Haslam, and these were “disturbing and unwarranted”.

Ms Haslam said: “The complainant didn’t want contact with the defendant and she was scared to be in her own home.”

Roberts was arrested and told police he had left homophobic messages and used homophobic language and accepted he had damaged the window and the car tyres and had made 87 phone calls. He added that he had been upset and had been drinking alcohol.

Roberts pleaded guilty to damaging a window and damaging four car tyres on August 21. He also admitted harassment committed between August 20 and 23 by leaving six voicemail messages of a homophobic nature, making 87 phone calls and sending texts Magistrates sentenced Roberts after a further hearing on September 8 to a community order to last until March 7, 2018, and he was fined £100 and given a two-year restraining order.

He must pay £691 compensation, £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.