He had an ‘unhealthy obsession’ and some of the comments he made were ‘surreal’, a court heard
Russell Gulliver has been jailed(Image: Humberside Police)
A Humberside Police detective had to give up her job because of persistent harassment from someone she once investigated, a court heard. Russell Gulliver, 47, formerly of Laneham Street, Scunthorpe, but recently of no fixed address, admitted three breaches of a restraining order designed to prevent him contacting the officer directly or indirectly.
Hannah Turner, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that Gulliver breached the court order in North Lincolnshire on May 9, 12 and 13 this year – just weeks after he had been released from custody. The detective had previously been involved in an investigation into crimes committed by Gulliver last year.
He sent her Valentine cards and then went on a call to the Samaritans to make a threat against her. In May this year, he used an online portal to make complaints against the officer, which breached the court order banning him from any contact.
Reading from the officer’s victim impact statement, Miss Turner said that the detective felt scared about what Gulliver might do next. She was no longer working.
She said that she never met him. “I was only doing my job, the job I love,” she said. “It is our duty to protect the public. Now I was the one who needed protecting. I just want it to stop.”
Gulliver had been jailed for two years and three months for making threats. He was released earlier this year.
Benjamin Donnell, mitigating, said that the case was “a difficult one”. Problems arose when Gulliver was released from prison and was changing his general practitioner, which led to a gap in receiving and taking his medication.
Judge Gurdial Singh said that the indirect contact with the detective had a “distressing effect” on her. “It has, unsurprisingly, caused upset and extreme anxiety,” he said. The complaint messages on the online portal contained some “bizarre” statements.” The comments are surreal,” said Judge Singh. “You had an unhealthy obsession with the officer.”
Gulliver was jailed for a total of 21 months.
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