AN ‘obsessive’ stalker who tried to extract information about a woman by talking to her colleagues kept a handwritten diary detailing encounters he had with his victim.
Chris Allen targeted a woman in Halstead over a six-month period last year, loitering outside her place of work and giving her a keyring with her name on.
The defendant, 70, approached the woman’s colleagues “trying to extract information about her”, claiming he had dated her in the past and also gave her a Valentine’s card last February.
Police attended Allen’s address to arrest him one month later, and his wife of 45 years went on to hand to investigators a diary which the defendant used to record where he had met various women.
The diary also contained notes detailing Allen’s various trips to Halstead to see his victim, Chelmsford Crown Court heard on Thursday.
Allen later admitted one charge of stalking, but after the father-of-three was bailed he continued pursuing the woman and turned up at a hotel in Ipswich where he found out she was staying.
Mark Halsey, prosecuting, said the victim felt worried leaving her place of work in the dark and changed her routine to avoid encountering him.
Mitigating barrister Elliott Moulster said Allen would “never knowingly have caused someone upset by his behaviour” and was “looking to receive support wherever he can”.
A member of probation told the court Allen’s risk had been raised to very high, adding “there are concerns that risk can be managed in the community – we feel that it can’t”.
Addressing Allen, of The Walk in Eight Ash Green, His Honour Judge Christopher Morgan said: “Police arrested you and it was your wife who attributed a diary to you as part of their investigation.
“It shows in my judgement a man who, when he believes a female is interested in him, becomes obsessed and starts pursuing them.”
He continued: “It is you putting your obsession before your marriage.”
Allen was banned from Halstead for a year and given a restraining order for five years.
He was also given an 18-month jail term suspended for two years and is subject to GPS trail monitoring for six months.
“This is, in your circumstances, your only chance,” the judge told him.
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