A bully described by his own daughter as 'a bad man' subjected his ex-girlfriend to months of harassment, leaving her isolated, terrified and too scared to go to work, a court heard.
James Casey had been in a relationship with Keeley Wood, 28, for around 10 years and the pair were living together. But 31-year-old Casey refused to accept their separation last December and began calling Ms Wood hundreds of times a week and turning up at her home, said prosecutors.
During one incident, which was captured on a CCTV camera Ms Wood had fitted as a result of Casey's behaviour, he was seen making the 'I'm watching you' gesture through her window in the early hours of the morning, magistrates were told.
Casey, who lived with Ms Wood in Bacup, Lancashire, but is originally from Hartlepool, sent numerous threatening messages to her including ones in which he said 'I will follow you' and 'Do you think the courts will stop me?'.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard how Casey, a plumber, was arrested on Boxing Day last year after Ms Wood saw him in her back garden. He had earlier told her 'I'm coming to get you' and 'I'm going to come and kill you', reports Lancs Live.
Casey was then bailed but continued to bombard a terrified Ms Wood with calls, voicemails, messages and friend requests on Facebook and Instagram, the court heard. He begged her not to report his continued contact to the police and pleaded with her to get back with him saying 'Keeley just come home darling please'.
Prosecutor, Scott Parker, revealed that on January 27 this year Casey tried calling Ms Wood 57 times. The court heard she had been unable to change her number because her job as a driving instructor requires her to keep the same mobile account and she had been too scared to work at times as Casey would spot her car.
In a lengthy victim impact statement Ms Wood said: "Since walking away from an abusive and coercive relationship I have been subjected to a roller-coaster of emotions for both myself and my daughter. I don't feel safe in my own home and I'm constantly looking out for him.
"I'm scared he'll never let me move on and he's said he'll never let me be happy. Our daughter refers to daddy as 'a bad man'."
Brave Ms Wood, who attending court, revealed in her statement that she had been forced to change her daughter's nursery for fear of Casey turning up. She said she feels trapped and isolated but was determined to report his controlling behaviour in a bid to prevent him targeting other women in the future.
"She worries he will be the same with other women, female partners, if her voice is not heard," the prosecutor added.
Defence solicitor Aftab Bakhat revealed that Casey is now in a new relationship with a woman who has a child and he now lives in Cumbria. Mr Bakhat described his client's actions as 'despicable, disgusting and deplorable'.
Casey's threats were 'heinous and he knows he has to be punished', the solicitor added. In a letter read out in court Casey vowed he would not contact Ms Wood ever again.
"She will not receive any bother from me again, I don't want her to feel anxious or distressed, I just didn't handle the break-up very well," the defendant wrote. The court heard that Casey had described himself as a 'functioning alcoholic' but was now five months clean of cocaine and alcohol.
"To say he didn't deal with the break-up very well is an understatement," his solicitor added. "He is deeply ashamed."
Casey, who pleaded guilty to breaching a non-molestation order and harassment with violence, was given a 26-week custodial sentence for each offence, to run concurrently. Magistrates said they were prepared to suspend the sentence, for two years, to allow Casey to take part in a Building Better Relationships course.
He was also given an indefinite restraining order, preventing him from contacting Ms Wood or approaching her home address, and told to pay £300 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.
READ NEXT:
- 'Bubbly' little baby girl died two days after her first birthday
- Get ready for gluhwein and giant sausages as Manchester Christmas Markets are BACK
- Young mum's 'worst nightmare' comes true after fatal asthma attack
- Dad boasts about stashing a 'right arsenal' of terrifying weapons for criminal underworld
- Council stopped paying family's £5,000 housing benefit because their home burned down
