Ex-Councillor Mark Mewse Sentenced for Campaign of Harassment

A former Salisbury city councillor has been handed a suspended jail term after being found guilty of pursuing a "deliberate campaign of harassment" against his ex-girlfriend. Mark Mewse, aged 64, received a 12-week suspended sentence, a two-year restraining order, and was ordered to pay £804 in court costs at Salisbury Magistrates' Court. The court heard that he threatened to kill the woman's cats, chased her after their relationship ended, and sent a barrage of cards, flowers, and gifts. Prosecutors described his conduct as "nothing short of criminal," emphasizing the seriousness of his harassment. Mewse claimed in his defense that the woman was lying out of revenge for not taking her on a trip to New York. However, evidence from CCTV footage and witness testimonies were used against him. Prosecutor Sibylle Cheruvier stated, "Mark Mewse pursued a deliberate campaign of harassment against his victim after their relationship ended." She added that the woman "was quite clear that his behaviour was unwelcome, however these pleas were ignored in favour of his own selfish interests," and expressed hope that his conviction would send a message that the CPS treats harassment very seriously.