Cheadle Man Jailed for Obsessive Stalking and Harassment

A man named Basil Thomas has been convicted of obsessively stalking his former partner, breaching a harassment restraining order, and placing a tracking device on her car. The victim reported that Thomas followed and watched her, climbed into her garden to move her CCTV camera, and even appeared outside her mother's hospice. The court heard how Thomas, 50, from Cheadle, started sending his ex-partner letters and emails after their six-year relationship ended. Despite being given a restraining order in June that barred him from approaching within 100 meters of her or visiting her residence, Thomas ignored these restrictions. He continued to cause distress by following her around a supermarket and was caught on CCTV climbing over a wall into her garden, removing her CCTV camera, and disguising his face with a mask. Police found a tracking device on her car after she felt she was being followed, leading to his arrest. On September 30, Thomas was found guilty of stalking and breaching the harassment order at Manchester Magistrates Court. He was sentenced at Chester Crown Court to three years imprisonment and was also handed an indefinite restraining order. Cheshire police emphasized that Thomas is an obsessive stalker whose behavior caused significant distress, dismissing the victim's feelings. Detective Constable Alison Shields commented that this case highlights the seriousness of stalking behavior and the consequences of breaching restraining orders. Thomas’s actions resulted in his jail and a clear message about the dangers of such behavior.