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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 7:03 am 
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Not really trade related, but interesting one for licensing councillors :?


Taxi driver put tracker on ex's car and called her up to 30 times a day

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/li ... s-20583723

His scared victim said she felt "like a prisoner" after being stalked by Michael Lonsdale

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Image: Liverpool Echo

A taxi driver put a tracker on his ex partner's car a year after they split up because she had a new boyfriend.

A court heard Michael Lonsdale had "moved on" but when he learned his ex was in a new relationship he began calling her 20 to 30 times and stalking her.

Diane Caird had to install CCTV at her Bebington home after the 48-year-old kept turning up unannounced and even put a tracker on her car, leaving her "like a prisoner in her own home".

Lonsdale had lingered outside the woman's home eavesdropping on a phone conversation and screaming she was "ungrateful" when he overheard her 'poke fun' at him to her friend.

Amanda York, prosecuting today at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, said the couple had been together for 16 years before they split around one year ago "due to the behaviour of the defendant".

Ms York explained their split was "amicable" and said they shared a daughter.

She said: "Over the last couple of months the complainant began to spend time with a male."

The woman told her daughter and Lonsdale about the relationship and didn't think it would be a problem as "he had moved on".

His victim said "how wrong I was" adding that "she knew she was going to have problems" after telling him.

Lonsdale called her "between 20 and 30 times", which she mostly ignored but when she answered he said "I'll see you when you get home" which led her to think he was in her house.

He also told her "I'm waiting for you" but Ms Caird clarified he was never threatening.

Ms York explained when she got home she had to wait outside for him to leave before she could go in.

She said: "Throughout the course of the evening she received calls and mostly buttoned the phone and didn't want to speak to him."

While on the phone to a friend Ms York explained the woman had been "poking fun at him" and "laughing" about Lonsdale.

She said as soon as Ms Caird hung up the phone Lonsdale called her and when she answered he was swearing "how dare you, you ungrateful t***".

Ms York said: "Obviously he had been listening in to that phone call while she was sat in the chair beside the window, no doubt the defendant was listening to her conversation."

He later turned up at 2.30am and shouted through the letterbox.

Ms York explained Lonsdale had turned up on occasions with "no problems" when he looked after his daughter, but on October 19 he posted letters through her door asking the woman to distribute what she believed to be suicide notes among family members.

After setting up security lights and CCTV at her home the woman woke up on October 20 to "several alerts" from the system.

The footage showed Lonsdale walking past the house before being spotted again 32 minutes later having circled the block.

Ms York said he then approached her car and "looked as if he was holding something in his hand" and was then seen "lying on the floor".

The woman discovered he had put a tracker on the grill of her car when she went to check the next day which left her "feeling like a prisoner in her own home" as she didn't want to drive anywhere.

Ms Caird said she is "still suffering from the effects of his behaviour" and "after what's happened I don't feel safe" and she "can't relax when I go for a walk, I only go for a walk when I feel brave enough to go out".

She said she paid £220 to have CCTV installed in her home and £50 on upgrading her alarm system.

The court heard Ms Caird is "in the process of securing counselling" adding she lost two brothers who took their lives and Lonsdale's letters "stirred up emotions and memories of my brothers".

Lonsdale has no previous convictions.

Callum Ross, defending, said Lonsdale, who has been a taxi driver for 26 years, claimed he put the tracker on the car as he was worried "she was going to take his daughter away" and he "wouldn't know where they were going".

Mr Ross explained Lonsdale had admitted the charge on a basis, meaning some of the facts were disputed.

He said: "Effectively this defendant stated on the facts outlined he only shouted at the complainant a limited number of times.

"He did accept shouting and he did accept going to the property he didn't kick or punch the door."

Mr Ross said there was no malicious intent in posting the letters but said his client was "just in a bad place".

Mr Ross explained a number of character references had been provided and described Lonsdale as "a family man", "hard working", "amazing", an "incredible father" and "supportive".

He said he has a "strong prospect of rehabilitation" and the offence is "something the defendant is hugely sorry about".

Mr Ross said: "The biggest punishment overall of this is losing his reputation of good character.

"That will affect his work significantly. He tells me he is a taxi driver, it may affect his DBS and CRB."

Mr Ross added Lonsdale was "very remorseful" and was "clearly in a very bad place at the time" but is "doing much better now".

Lonsdale, of Chester Road, Ellesmere Port, admitted one count of stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

Magistrates Edward Connor and Jonathan Elliott handed Lonsdale a one year community order with 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirements and 200 hours of unpaid work.

Magistrates imposed a three year restraining order preventing Lonsdale from contacting the woman.

He was also ordered to pay £200 in compensation, £85 in costs and a £95 victim surcharge.


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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 7:03 am 
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Defence solicitor wrote:
"That will affect his work significantly. He tells me he is a taxi driver, it may affect his DBS and CRB."

:-k


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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 1:12 pm 
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StuartW wrote:
Defence solicitor wrote:
"That will affect his work significantly. He tells me he is a taxi driver, it may affect his DBS and CRB."

:-k



I think it will affect more than that not many LA's would allow him to keep his badge

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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 4:25 pm 
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edders23 wrote:
I think it will affect more than that not many LA's would allow him to keep his badge

Well, yes, I think that's what the defence solicitor was implying.

I suspect some LAs would have his badge, but some wouldn't, but as to numbers I wouldn't have a scooby.


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PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2021 7:02 pm 
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I suspect some LAs would have his badge, but some wouldn't, but as to numbers I wouldn't have a scooby.

I would be amazed if anyone convicted of a stalking offence remains a licensed driver anywhere, even in the nuttiest council.

Very very serious offence, and if it wasn't for the fact that he had no previous convictions he would have been jailed.

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