Woman 'felt like a prisoner' in own home after ten months of harrassment from ex's girlfriend

Carly Preston has been handed a suspended sentence and a restraining order after sending 'threatening and abusive' messages on social media to Lesley Norris.

As a result of the series of harrassement, Ms Norris 'felt like a prisoner' in her own home as a result, a court heard.

The petrified mother became so scared she changed the days she went shopping for fear of bumping into her stalker while her daughter grew anxious about returning to university, magistrates were told.

Eventually, Ms Norris complained to the police and Preston was arrested. Preston was charged with 'constantly' sending Ms Norris Instagram requests and sending her an 'abusive' card from Moonpig between March 2023 and January 2024.

She appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates Court where it was heard how she sent messages to Ms Norris from a number of different profiles on social media.

Prosecutor Giles Fletcher told Portsmouth Magistrates that the case was 'serious'.

He said: "Preston admits she sent messages from different profiles, threatening and abusive messages, she accepted that this caused alarm and distress to Ms Norris and her family.

"It is a serious case because of the different methods and ways used to communicate.

"[Preston] can see now it was not a wise thing to do.

"There is a complex reason why this has come about, Ms Norris would say she was in a relationship a long time ago with [Preston's] partner, they had a daughter and [Ms Norris] wanted him to pay child support."

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Norris said: "I would have to change the day I go shopping, I have got [health conditions] and my symptoms got worse.

"I feel like a prisoner in my own home, I have got no friends, I have no life and my daughter is worried about going back to university."

Mitigating, Natalie Dennington said that the incidents happened over ten months but there was one incident in March 2023 and then none until October.

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Ms Dennington said: "There is one incident in March 2023 and then nothing really until October and November 2023 when the conduct really started to heighten.

"There is one incident since December 2023, she had sent a very long text message to [Ms Norris'] partner, setting out everything that happened and to say it would stop and not carry on."

She said that Preston has not been able to work since 2020 due to her mental health and she has been diagnosed with depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Preston, from Portsmouth, has been sober since her arrest in December 2023, Ms Dennington told the court.

Magistrates sentenced her to 18 weeks in prison suspended for a year, she is required to complete 25 rehabilitation days and she has been ordered to pay the prosecution's costs of £85 as well as a victim surcharge of £154.

The magistrates also imposed a five year restraining order against Ms Norris and two other people linked to her.