STALKER WHO BECAME 'FIXATED' ON WORKER JAILED
An individual from Oxford has been sentenced to prison after developing an obsessive fixation on a young retail worker.Carl Suter, residing on Luther Street, was involved in a legal case at Oxford Crown Court.
The 46-year-old defendant denied a charge of stalking that caused significant concern and distress.
On Wednesday, May 27, the jury acquitted him of the more serious stalking charge but convicted him of a lower-level offence of simple stalking.
During the trial, the court was told that the incident allegedly occurred at the Boots store on Cowley Road in July of the previous year.
Prosecution barrister Sandra Beck presented the case to the jury on May 19, outlining the details of the alleged offence.
Ms Beck said: "This is about a man plaguing a young shop worker.
He (Suter) went into Boots regularly, despite being banned and causing issues regularly.
"The ban didn't stop him, he went in there daily.
She was 17, it was her first job." The jury was told that the shop worker had been told the man's name was 'Simon White'.
Ms Beck explained the man was 'threatening, aggressive and inappropriate'.
She added: "She thought he was obsessed with her.
It was scaring her.
She changed her routine." The jury heard that on one occasion, Suter was in the shop and told the shop worker she 'looked nice' and wanted to 'go home with her'.
The shop worker was concerned, so organised a taxi to leave with a colleague.
The jury heard Suter was pacing outside the shop.
Ms Beck said: "He called over to her.
He approached the cab and she was shaking with fear.
She was fearful he would try and jump in.
"She says he wouldn't leave her alone." The jury heard that Suter was arrested on August 1.
Ms Beck explained that the shop worker and two of her colleagues gave a description which matched Suter.
He gave no comments in a police interview.
In a prepared statement, he denied the offence.
Suter was sentenced shortly after his conviction.
The court heard he was in breach of a suspended sentence he received for offences in May 2024.
Suter was previously sentenced for spitting and throwing a charity box at a worker in Ladbrokes in Cowley Road.
The attack left the victim with a broken elbow.
The court also heard Suter had been in custody for six months after he broke his bail conditions by attending Boots.
Gordana Austin, mitigating, told the court Suter had concerns that on his release he'd have nowhere to go.
The Judge, Mr Recorder Alan Gardner KC, said: "You targeted her.
You knew you were banned from that store.
"You were fixated with her.
You knocked on windows and followed her movements.
She felt compelled to change her routine and was distracted from her job.
"You were very much in the wrong." Suter was jailed for 28 weeks.
