MIDLANDS STALKER, 39, USED TRACKING DEVICE TO SPY ON DUMPED GIRLFRIEND
A stalker who dumped his girlfriend and then spied on her with a tracking device he secretly placed in her bag has walked free from court.Sam Booth covertly put the tracking device in the victim's bag so he could get 'proof' that she was seeing someone else.
The 39-year-old wanted to feel better about ending their relationship so watched where she was going.
He sent her four messages over one month telling the woman he knew her current whereabouts.
It wasn't until he accused her of being with another man that she told him she was in a police station reporting his concerning behaviour.
READ MORE: West Midlands Police warn 'you will see extra officers in this area' as 48-hour order imposed North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard how Booth and his victim were in a relationship for about eight months, StokeonTrentLive reports.
Prosecutor Zaine Riaz said: "They lived separately, but gradually the defendant wanted her to stay with him all the time.
"This is where the first red flags began to appear for the victim.
"He would get annoyed when she wanted to go to the gym instead of spending all day in bed with him.
"Eventually, the pair discussed what the future of their relationship would look like.
"The defendant was clear that he wanted to have children, while the victim did not want to have any more.
"This led to the defendant ending the relationship.
"Before they broke up, the defendant placed a tracking device in the victim’s bag.
"This allowed him to see her location.
On January 31, he asked the victim if she was at the gym.
"She said 'no' and he replied with a laughing emoji followed by a message saying 'okay then'.
"The court heard how Booth asked the victim is she was at a man's address on February 22.
"When she told him she was at the police station, he told her to 'destroy the tracking device'.
In a statement read to the court, the victim said: "Since learning Sam was tracking me, I no longer feel safe.
"I do not sleep during the night and I am panicky and anxious during the day.
"I am constantly checking my surroundings and feel like something is following me.
"He left me but still harassed me.
He was the first person I trusted after I had got out of a previous long-term relationship.
"Whenever we’d have disagreements, he’d say I had been conditioned by my previous relationship.
"Now I feel manipulated, used and vulnerable." Lee Yates, defending, said Booth's actions were a misguided attempt to justify ending the relationship by confirming his unfounded suspicions about the victim.
He said: "You’re dealing with the breakdown of a short but relatively intense relationship in this case.
"The defendant pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity.
"I wrote to the court then inviting a financial penalty and a restraining order, a position which I maintain today.
"His pre-sentence report says that Booth demonstrated a level of planning but also illogical thinking, which I agree with.
"He said the purpose of putting the tracking device in her bag was to get proof that she was seeing someone else to provide justification for his decision to end the relationship.
"He realises now that was clearly the wrong thing to do.
"He didn’t appreciate how seriously his actions would be taken by the police and this court.
"But now he fully understands the weight of his actions." Booth, of Charles Street, Cheadle, admitted one count of stalking.
He was handed an 18-month community order, with an 18-month restraining order, 60 hours unpaid work and £199 costs.
Sentencing, the magistrates told him: "I hope you’ve listened closely to the sombre victim impact statement and that it’s had a sobering effect on you.
"My advice is to move on with your life." Booth replied: "I already have.
Moved on a long time ago."
