JILTED CARLISLE MAN TOLD HIS 'TERRIFIED' EX HE HAD KILLED HER RABBIT
A CARLISLE woman whose former partner refused to accept the ending of their relationship was left terrified as he began stalking and harassing her, a court heard.Sean Pattinson, 39, bombarded the woman with unwanted phone calls and messages, at times all through the night – and he falsely told her he'd killed her pet rabbit.
His bad behaviour culminated with him assaulting her, Carlisle Crown Court was told.
Pattinson, of High Bank Close, Carlisle, was sentenced at the city’s crown court after he admitted harassment, stalking and a common assault.
Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson outlined the facts.
He said that the defendant was in a relationship with the victim but she ended it on March 17 this year.
“She made it clear that she did not want to be with him anymore,” said Mr Rogerson.
“She did not want any contact from him; but, as became evident, he did not take that well.” In the days that followed, the woman began receiving calls from Pattinson, some of them silent.
During the six days leading up to March 24, the defendant made just over 80 calls.
His voice mail messages ranged from declarations of love to pleas to visit her, the court heard.
He also began visiting her address, on one occasion staying in the area for almost an hour.
On March 26, having parked his works van on her driveway, he was caught on doorbell video verbally abusing the woman.
Describing his behaviour as unpredictable, the woman said she made the mistake agreeing to talk with Pattinson.
He used this as an opportunity to ask her to withdraw her harassment allegation.
After they went for drinks in the city centre, he produced her keys and told her: “I’m staying at yours tonight.” But the woman did not consider that safe and stayed with a friend.
The next morning, she returned home and asked him to leave.
“Before he left, he said he had taken items of sentimental value,” the barrister said.
These included letters from her grandmother and father.
When challenged about this, he said he had taken the goods “for insurance.” They were later returned.
The court then heard about the assault.
Pattinson dragged the woman off her driveway and pushed her through her front door before repeatedly grabbing her by the throat every time she tried to leave, the court heard.
Later that day, as he drove past her house, he shouted out that he had taken her rabbit.
It was indeed missing from its hutch.
“In a phone call, Mr Pattinson had told [the woman] that he had killed the rabbit and he asked if she wanted the body returned,” continued Mr Rogerson.
“She became upset and hung up.” Doorbell video later showed Pattinson returning to her house with the live rabbit stuffed down his shirt.
He put it back in its hutch.
The court heard also about further unwanted phone calls, including ones on June 24 which were made between 1am and 5am.
He later posted a heart-shaped stone through the letterbox of her friend.
Originally a gift from him, the stone had gone missing from her bedroom.
Also missing were her passport and birthday and Valentine’s Day.
The court then heard the woman’s victim impact statement.
“The last few months have been some of the hardest I have experienced,” she wrote.
“Since I ended the relationship, he has beleaguered my life to the point where I didn’t see a way out.” Pattinson had constantly ignored non-contact bail conditions and found “new and cruel” ways to contact her as he tried to maintain some control over her life, she said.
She genuinely feared the situation would end with her being killed.
As a result of the defendant’s behaviour, she had been referred for trauma counselling and therapy.
Sean Harkin, mitigating, said the defendant’s offending was the result of his inability to accept the ending of the relationship but Pattinson now wished to apologise, and he understood the distress he had caused.
The defendant now “fully understands” that he can not resume the relationship, said Mr Harkin.
“It was out of character for him,” added Mr Harkin, pointing out that the defendant had previously ended a marriage amicably.
Judge Michael Fanning said some of the messages sent by Pattinson revealed an “unattractive and possessive trait” in his character.
His actions left the victim “overwhelmed” with anxiety and stress.
“I do accept that it appears to be out of character,” said the judge.
Judge Fanning imposed a four-month jail term.
Because of the time the defendant spent in jail on remand, that term is now deemed to be served but the defendant will be under Probation Service supervision for a year.
A restraining order bans any contact with the victim for three years.
"Learn from this, move on, and put this behind you," the Judge told Pattinson.
