Stalker put spy software on woman's computer, Carlisle court toldA jealous lover set up secret software so he could spy on everything his partner looked at on her computer.
Carlisle taxi driver Brian Dorrance, 45, carried out a “campaign” of surveillance, watching over Susan Walkingshaw's emails, internet access and social media activity.
But the hapless stalker was caught out when he replied to an email he should never have seen after the two had split up.
Carlisle Crown Court heard how Dorrance claimed he put in the software because he found she had made an online search for a previous partner.
Dorrance, of Chapelknowe, near Canonbie, was made the subject of a stringent restraining order regarding Miss Walkingshaw who lives near Maryport.
Judge Paul Batty QC, passing sentence, also handed out a 12 month prison term, suspended for two years.
Gerard Rogerson, prosecuting, told the court the two met on a dating website. In March 2012 they got together in person for the first time and a relationship developed.
But six to nine months into this she discovered Dorrance had gained access to her email account.
Mr Rogerson said: “She confronted him and asked him how he had known all the information from her emails.”
Dorrance, the court heard, said she had left them open while he was at her home.
The court heard Dorrance asked about previous relationships and wanted to “know all the details”.
They would sometimes split up but Dorrance would send gifts such as flowers “until she felt obliged to take him back”.
Mr Rogerson said the relationship came to an end in April this year. Miss Walkingshaw wrote an email that she sent to her own account.
“She did not send that email to him,” said Mr Rogerson. “She was then shocked to get a reply. She realised then that Dorrance had accessed her emails.”
As she watched the screen “her emails were being deleted before her eyes”.
“She felt her privacy had been violated,” said Mr Rogerson.
Police were told Dorrance had also been accessing her Facebook account.
He told police he had put software onto her laptop at her home. Dorrance also tried to put software onto her mobile phone but it had not worked. The court heard he went onto Facebook and deleted items.
Mr Rogerson said: “By Christmas last year it reached a situation where he was monitoring her on a daily basis.
The court heard Miss Walkingshaw had been forced to take days off work because of panic attacks.
Dorrance admitted stalking and causing serious alarm or distress.
The five-year restraining order includes clauses banning Dorrance from contacting, communicating, approaching or interfering with Miss Walkingshaw and members of her family “by any means whatsoever”.
He is also banned from entering areas linked to her or the case. Dorrance must pay £1,000 compensation. He was made the subject of a community order for two years and must attend a programme on abusive behaviour.
source:
http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/carli ... -1.1179926
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