A relentless stalker left a woman in panic and fearing for her life after he refused to accept that their “toxic” relationship was over and went to extreme lengths to pursue, harass and torment her.
Obsessed and aggressive Neil Ledden made the woman’s life a complete misery by turning up at her home and workplace, bombarding her with emails and telephone calls and demanding to speak to her. During one incident, he suddenly slammed on his car brakes, causing her vehicle to crash into the back of his, Hull Crown Court heard.
Ledden, 54, of Hull, admitted stalking the woman between October 1 and December 2 and careless driving and having no insurance on November 29. He pleaded guilty on the day of a scheduled trial.
Oliver Shipley, prosecuting, said that the woman met Ledden about 14 years ago and they lived together for about nine years. She described the relationship as “toxic from the very start” but matters came to a head when she found the courage to end the relationship.
Ledden began a “campaign of stalking” and he made persistent attempts to reconcile the relationship by sending emails and making false promises that he would change his ways. She blocked him on all other forms of communication.
Ledden took pictures outside her home and looked through her windows. He called her family and friends trying to get in touch with the woman, turned up at her workplace unannounced and approached her in the street. He shouted abuse down the phone and parked vehicles near her home so that she knew that he was around.
On November 4, he drove his car past her after she had just got inside it and he stopped next to her car before shouting through the window: “I want to speak to you.” On November 29, they drove past each other in Langhorn Drive, Howden, and she hoped that he had not seen her – but he turned round and drove back towards her at speed.
He pulled in front of her car and slammed his brakes on, causing her to try to do an emergency stop. She crashed into the back of his car and he got out and shouted a torrent of abuse at her. He told her: “I want to talk to you.”
The woman sprayed police-issued SmartWater at Ledden and his car. The fluid is designed to mark people and property using unique DNA codes. Traces cannot be washed off or seen without the naked eye. It is designed to make victims feel safer.
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The woman had been left frightened and on edge and she did not know what Ledden was capable of doing. “This stalking has had such a serious impact on lots of different aspects of my life,” she said. “Some days, I’m okay and others I’m not. I am scared to go out. I think the impact of everything is only just hitting me now.”
Ledden had convictions for 26 previous offences, 10 of them involving assaults. He had previously been to prison in 2004 but his most most recent conviction was in 2013.
Celine Kart, mitigating, said that Ledden had been remanded in custody between December 3 and January 28 before being allowed bail. “He is genuinely remorseful,” said Miss Kart. “He is regretful and ashamed of his conduct. His rehabilitation has already begun.”
Ledden spent about three months homeless, living in hotels, but he now had a stable address. He had suffered problems, including alcohol misuse.
Ledden, formerly of Mooney Place, Howden, was given a 16-month suspended prison sentence and 20 days’ rehabilitation. He was given a five-year restraining order and he was banned from driving for three months.