Portsmouth stalker who 'maximised fear and distress' to his ex is jailed after failing to curb his ways

Shane Fudge, 30, was handed a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months by judge Timothy Mousley QC in December 2018 at Portsmouth Crown Court.

After reprieving the man branded a ‘classic stalker’ during that hearing, judge Mousley was again the sentencing judge but this time sent the defendant to prison for a range of offences - including breaching the 2018 suspended sentence and restraining order.

The court heard how Fudge, of Lords Street, Landport, started ‘bombarding’ his former lover of 10 years with ‘very unwanted contact’ in January.

‘He would turn up unexpectedly at places,’ prosecutor Paul Fairley said. ‘He told her he knew where she was because he had tracking software.

‘She was unable to sleep and kept herself indoors.’

In May, Fudge saw his former partner in Commercial Road before telling her: ‘It’s not hard to find you.’

On another occasion, he ‘shouted’ at her as she walked through Victoria Park.

Fudge also turned up at his ex-girlfriend’s home. ‘He knocked on the door before he started kicking it,’ Mr Fairley said.

Police were called to the incident sparking a chase after Fudge jumped on a shed roof. ‘(The officer) tried to climb on the shed when the defendant pushed him causing him to almost fall off,’ the prosecutor said.

‘Mr Fudge jumped off the shed and into someone’s garden before he was detained by an armed response unit.’

After being arrested the defendant was then released from custody before sending text messages and phone calls to the victim within an hour of being let go.

In total, Fudge turned up at various places on May 15,18,19 and 20.

He told his former partner on one occasion: ‘If you don’t get back with me you’ll learn the hard way.’

The victim, in a statement read out to the court, said: ‘I’m concerned he will act on his threats. One moment he is sad and apologetic and the next he is abusive.

‘The whole situation is affecting my sleep. I don’t know if he will turn up in the night.

‘It has severely affected me mentally. I’m worried he will get under my skin.’

The victim also revealed how she was forced to change her routine and take different routes when leaving the house and had missed important calls because of the stalking.

Defending, Lian Webster, said Fudge had shown remorse but ‘fully accepts he dealt with the situation badly’ and showed ‘poor judgement’.

Fudge admitted a single count of stalking, three breaches of a restraining order and breaching a suspended sentence. He also admitted assaulting an emergency worker.

Judge Mousley told Fudge: ‘You tried to overbear (the victim’s) will completely and showed no regard for court orders.

‘The relationship ended two years ago so it was obvious it was well and truly over.’

He added: ‘You maximised fear and distress - that’s what you were intent on. This was persistent behaviour over a long period of time.’

Fudge was then jailed for 18 months.

A restraining order will remain in place.

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