City stalker who followed women and left them in fear locked up for two years

Johnson Kubelabo unleashed his campaign of fear in March and April on a woman in the Southampton area - and two months later now finds himself behind bars.Kubelabo, 26, of Brunswick Place, started his campaign of stalking the woman on Monday March 6, which began as he followed her during her commute across the city to her work.

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This fixated, obsessive pattern of behaviour continued over a number of weeks with the victim becoming increasingly hyper-vigilant that someone may be following her.

Southampton Crown Court heard how he would always follow the victim from behind, never in front - with there significant evidence he recorded his actions on his mobile phone.

The woman told investigators that she would often look at shop windows during her commute and see Kubelabo behind her, causing significant alarm and distress. It was after this incident that she began to be more aware that she was being followed by Kubelabo on a regular basis on her way into work during the early mornings. She even altered the times she would leave her address – but still would encounter Kubelabo following her.

The behaviour escalated when he followed her back to her home one evening. As the victim attempted to enter her property, Kubelabo followed her into the communal area and spoke to her claiming he was trying to locate a friend's address.

In her victim personal statement she said: ‘I felt this had escalated and I was really scared. I started to worry as he now knew my route to work and my route home. Once Inside my flat, I was very shaken up…I hid in my bathroom and texted my housemate and boyfriend as I was scared to be on my own.’

‘The culmination of all these small things have ended up having a huge impact on my life, and I don't know if I will ever feel as safe and carefree as I did before.

‘I feel so frustrated that he has managed to have such an impact on me and my life throughout this time. I am furious that someone that I have only interacted with verbally twice has had such an impact on me and my routine and will continue to affect me, probably for the rest of my life.’

The defendant pleaded guilty to stalking involving serious alarm and distress and was jailed for two years in prison.

During the hearing, the court also heard that four offences of stalking without fear of violence were taken into consideration when imposing the sentence after the investigation revealed evidence of Kubelabo following other women in the Southampton area.

Kubelabo has also been made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and has had a restraining order enforced on him prohibiting contact with the primary victim and the other four victims identified.

Det Con Alex Griffey, who led the investigation, said: ‘Stalking is a pattern of fixated and obsessive behaviour which is repeated and unwanted, causing victims to fear violence or otherwise suffer alarm and distress. It is a dreadful and dangerous crime.’

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