OFFENDER WHO STALKED EX-GIRLFRIEND AND COMMITTED VIOLENT BURGLARIES JAILED FOR THREE YEARS

A burglar who stalked his ex-girlfriend before going on a crime spree has been jailed for three years and three months.Dallan Tearse, 25, pulled out a knife on the owner of a record shop and took a car from a garage during a two-day spate of burglaries in Newcastle in November, the city's Crown Court heard.He had previously tormented his ex-partner with threatening texts, phone calls and unwanted visits to her home, prosecutors said.Tearse, of no fixed abode, admitted offences including stalking involving serious harm or distress, burglary and making threats with an offensive weapon.Tearse and the woman had been in a relationship from May 2022 to December 2023, prosecutor Matthew Hopkins said. She described his behavior as controlling and jealous from the start and said she wanted to support him through issues he faced. The court heard that after their breakup, Tearse followed her in a car, revved his motorbike outside her home, and harassed her with calls, messages, and fake social media accounts, causing her to feel 'scarred for life' and 'completely brainwashed.' On 25 November, after being released on bail, Tearse drove a van with cloned number plates to steal items from various locations, including tools, signs, and a car. He was also involved in a confrontation at a record shop where he pulled out a knife and fled after being challenged.In his mitigation, Tearse's lawyer mentioned his troubled background and personal struggles, including a history of convictions, drug use, homelessness, and the impact of personal losses. Judge Carolyn Scott described Tearse's conduct as 'completely unacceptable' and 'terrifying,' particularly highlighting the trauma caused to his ex-girlfriend. A restraining order banning Tearse from contacting her or attending her address was issued for ten years, and he was banned from driving for one year and eight months.