Pest hounded his former partner with phone calls and texts

A jilted man is due to be sentenced after he pestered his ex-girlfriend with phone calls and text messages.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Wednesday, February 8, how Lee James Swift, 29, of Stephenson Place, Chesterfield, harassed his former partner over three months after they had separated.

Prosecuting solicitor Sarah Haslam said: “The seven-month relationship ended in September and the complainant had known Swift as a friend for about seven years.

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“She said he was a good person and charming but in August, last year, he started spending more time with friends and drinking and this caused arguments and in September, last year, she said the relationship was over.”

However, Mrs Haslam added that Swift would ring her and ask where she was and what she was doing and on October 31 he banged on an upstairs window of her home after climbing onto her neighbour’s roof and accused her of seeing someone else.

Police warned Swift about his behaviour three times and his ex was forced to block him on social media and she changed her phone number but he got her new number.

The former couple spoke again in November when things were more amicable, according to Mrs Haslam, but the complainant got a call in the early hours accusing her of being out when she was in her home and he texted her the following day saying he missed and loved her.

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Mrs Haslam added that Swift also banged on the window of a pub when his ex was out with friends and in January he knocked on her door when she was in bed and he accused her of being unfaithful.

Swift told police he had become depressed after the break-up of the relationship and he had been left feeling like he had lost his best friend and his girlfriend.

The defendant pleaded guilty to causing harassment by making unwanted phone calls and texts between October 30, 2016, and January 22, 2017.

Magistrates adjourned the case until February 22 to consider a probation report before sentencing.