A woman from Worcestershire has been sentenced after relentlessly pursuing her former partner in a campaign of harassment that caused thousands of pounds in damage.
Court hears details of sustained harassment
Joanne Butler, 56, of Laurel Grove in Kidderminster, appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre where she admitted to criminal damage and harassment. The court heard how Butler refused to accept the end of her on-off relationship with the victim.
Prosecutor Julia Fox outlined how Butler's behaviour escalated after the victim made clear he wanted nothing to do with her. The offences occurred between March and October 2024.
Calculated campaign of damage and intrusion
Butler engaged in increasingly concerning behaviour, including sending photographs of the interior of the victim's house, following him on dates, and causing significant damage to his vehicles.
She caused approximately £8,300 of damage to his BMW and around £2,000 to his Citroen van. The victim explained in a statement how this led to increased insurance premiums that would affect him for years to come.
The harassment forced the victim to install security cameras at his property, but Butler demonstrated calculated behaviour by going around to the back of the house to avoid detection. On one occasion, she saw he had a guest staying and returned the next day to cause further damage.
Courtroom behaviour and sentencing
During proceedings, Butler initially showed disrespect by scoffing and rolling her eyes, but was quickly reminded by the prosecution that she had already confessed to her crimes.
When representing herself, Butler attempted to justify her actions by claiming she had been treated badly and noted that the victim had gone away with her in September 2024. However, her mitigation was cut short when she tried to disparage the victim's character.
Magistrates handed Butler a 12-month community order with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 270 hours of unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay £1,204 in damages and received an 18-month restraining order preventing contact with her victim.
Prosecutor Fox noted the unusual dynamic of the case, commenting that while typically a man would be harassing a woman, this situation had flipped that expectation.
