A mum has been left fearing she will be killed by her "thorough nuisance" of an ex-boyfriend.
Dale Parsonage, from Whiston, subjected his former partner to a campaign of harassment despite being already banned from contacting her by a restraining order. On one occasion, Peppa Pig books and balloons were even left inside her Newton-le-Willows home while she was out.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Thursday, that he and victim Rebecca Gill had been in a relationship for around eight years and have a three-year-old daughter together. The partnership was "initially good but became toxic towards the end", and the couple split in July 2020.
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Parsonage, of Manorwood Drive, was then handed a non-molestation order by the family courts in November that year, preventing him from contacting Ms Gill. On August 15 2021, the 29-year-old attended her home in order to pick up their child under a prior agreement.
He "drove into the street at speed" shortly after 11.15am, with Ms Gill suspecting that he had been drinking as he "stumbled" when returning to his vehicle. She refused to allow Parsonage to take the girl as a result, but he replied: "Try and stop me."
The "respected employee" in the concrete industry also threatened to attack her brother, who was asleep upstairs. But she stood in front of the car door to stop the driver entering and managed to take hold of his keys.
Parsonage eventually gave in and left without the child. However, on August 29 2021, he attended the address uninvited and "stood laughing and goading her" at the back door.
Days later on September 2, Ms Gill received a phone call from a withheld number shortly after 1.30pm. She answered to find Parsonage on the other end stating he wanted to see their daughter, threatening: "I'm coming to take her - either from yours, your nan's or nursery."
She received a further 30 missed calls throughout the rest of the day. On September 29 last year, Ms Gill went out for a family meal in the early evening.
Her brother remained at the house, but whilst he was in the shower a collection of Peppa Pig books and balloons were placed at the bottom of the stairs. The following month, Parsonage was seen throwing an object into her front garden before knocking on the window and attempting to talk to the "frightened" child.
On October 11, Ms Gill and the toddler were picked up by her nan in order to take them to work and nursery respectively. As they left, they saw her ex stood at the end of her street "blocking the end of the road".
In a seventh incident, Parsonage turned up at her address and began "shouting abuse at her" and refused to leave at around 5pm on October 30 2021. He was circulated as being wanted after a complaint was made to the police, and he was arrested in Gateshead on November 10.
Ms Gill read a heart-breaking statement to the court highlighting the impact of his actions upon her. She said: "I feel my heart stop every time I hear a car in the street.
"I was having nightmares most nights and would wake up crying or wake up in the morning with the worry about whether he was going to show up or not. The one thing that hurt me most was hearing my daughter repeating the phrase 'daddy hit mummy, mummy crying' before she went to sleep for weeks on end.
"I never want to experience anything like that again. I'm just thankful she's at an age where she can forget, but I can't.
"No-one should have to live like that - no-one should have to go through what Dale put me through. I want to keep this man away from me, because I fear one day he will kill me."
Defending, Jim Smith told the court that his client - who has three previous convictions for four offences between 2010 and 2016 - suffered a "substantial brain injury" in 2017 after being the victim of a serious assault. He also said Parsonage had been "overburdened by emotional distress and lost self control".
Mr Smith said: "This is an unfortunate set of circumstances. The defendant deeply regrets his actions"
Recorder Simon Parrington said of this: "It's more than that unfortunately, this man has been a thorough nuisance over a long period of time to a woman who has done absolutely nothing to deserve it. He knew a restraining order was in place and he's breached it at least seven times."
Mr Smith replied: "I simply try to place this into some context. He was motivated by his loss of contact with his daughter and his desire to ensure that his daughter continues to know he loves her.
"His motivation wasn't to cause distress, although he accepts that's what he's done. He apologises that she has suffered such distress."
Parsonage admitted seven counts of breaching a non-molestation order and was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months. He was also handed a restraining order preventing him from contacting Ms Gill or entering her street indefinitely.
Recorder Parrington described him as a "substantial nuisance causing substantial distress". Sentencing, the judge added: "You understand how serious these matters are.
"These matters do cross the custody threshold, and the court has to mark the persistent nature of the breaches last autumn. You must know that if you commit any further offences whatsoever the sentence will be activated - it's up to you."
Parsonage must also complete a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 15 days, 100 hours of unpaid work and a relationships programme. He was told to pay £500 in compensation and a victim surcharge.
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