Stockton man in court for repeated harassment of ex partner

STOCKTON MAN IN COURT FOR REPEATED HARASSMENT OF EX PARTNER

A man who persistently turned up at his ex-partner’s home uninvited landed himself in court after jumping out of a shed and scaring her.

Ronald Hockaday had been in a relationship with the victim for four years before it ended late last year, Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court heard.

The 58-year-old has left his former partner suffering from anxiety as a result of his repeated harassment, said Adam Scott, prosecuting.

He said on one occasion he pushed his way past the victim to go into the house to retrieve some of his belongings, and on another occasion, he jumped out of the garden shed when she returned to her home.

“He scared her, and he refused to leave,” he said.

“He then sat in his car outside the house for long periods of time for no reason.” In a victim impact statement, the woman said: “I am no longer living at my address in case he is there or he is hiding somewhere nearby.” The final incident happened on January 17 when Hockaday again turned up at the house and refused to leave before ‘squaring’ up to his former partner’s daughter and her boyfriend.

Hockaday, of Easington Road, Stockton, was found guilty of stalking without fear or violence between December 26 last year and January 18 following a trial.

Dr Victor Dowd, the chairman of the magistrates’ bench, sentenced Hockaday to an 18-month community order with 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 70 hours of unpaid work attached.

Hockaday was also made subject to a three-year restraining order preventing him entry the area in Langley Park, County Durham, where he used to live and ordered to pay £439 towards court costs.