Crewe Chef Receives Four-and-a-Half-Year Sentence for Stalking and Hacking
Michael Merrington, a 31-year-old chef from Crewe, has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after a prolonged stalking campaign that involved hacking into his ex-partner's email and social media accounts. The sentencing took place at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where he was also handed a 10-year restraining order.
Details of the Stalking and Assault
The court heard that Merrington's four-year relationship ended in July. He refused to accept the breakup and began sending threatening messages to his victim. Prosecutor Olivia Appleby stated that he threatened to share intimate photographs, claiming he had 12 such images from their relationship.
On July 26, an argument escalated when Merrington seized the victim's phone and followed her around the house. He kicked a bathroom sink loose from the wall, damaged a mirror by punching it, and grabbed the victim by her arms, pushing her onto a bed. The victim described feeling terrified and unable to sleep due to the ongoing harassment.
Unauthorized Access to Accounts
After being arrested and released on bail in October, Merrington continued his stalking by gaining unauthorized access to the victim's email, Instagram, and Facebook accounts. He sent a plethora of emails, including ones that made it appear as if she still loved him. The victim discovered that her accounts had been accessed from locations in Macclesfield and Crewe, where Merrington's family lives and where he works in a public house.
Between December 2 and 7, he attempted to log into her Facebook account 10 times and tried to access her Instagram accounts. All attempts were traced to Macclesfield or Crewe. On December 11, he was seen outside the victim's front door, knocking twice.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Merrington pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including:
- Threatening to share intimate photographs
- Assault by beating
- Damaging property
- Stalking
In mitigation, Edmund Potts acknowledged that the offences crossed the custody threshold and expressed that Merrington recognizes the impact of his behavior and feels genuine remorse. Potts added that Merrington has four children and hopes to one day play a positive role in their lives again.
Recorder Julian Taylor emphasized the seriousness of the crimes, stating, "This crosses the custody threshold by a long way and it has to be an immediate custodial sentence. The effect on your victim has been profound. These are serious offences over a prolonged period of time."
Impact on the Victim
In a victim impact statement, the woman described the stalking as highly distressing, saying she was constantly on edge. She noted that Merrington may not realize just how much his actions impacted her life, highlighting the emotional and psychological toll of the prolonged harassment.
The case underscores the severe consequences of stalking and cyber harassment, with authorities taking such offences seriously to protect victims from further harm.
