A STALKER left his ex feeling “fearful for her safety” and “looking over her shoulder” after bombarding her with texts, calls and voicemails.

After his relationship ended earlier this year, Joe Hill kept messaging his former partner on Facebook and via text.

On August 2, he sent her two letters and eight days later, his ex returned home to find chocolate, flowers and a card on her doorstep, a court heard.

However, the woman said Hill would also become aggressive, calling her ugly.

She told the court she was “never sure how far he would take it”.

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In a statement read out at Southampton Magistrates’ Court, the victim said: “The first few weeks were fine but by the end it had me fearing for my safety.

“It always seemed to be my fault. He would bombard me with texts, calls and voicemails.

“I was signed off work. I was genuinely fearful for my safety.

“Even though I knew Joe had been remanded, I was always looking over my shoulder.

“I want Joe to leave me alone and stop having to live my life like this.”

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The 39-year-old of Devon Close, Chandler’s Ford, was arrested and charged with stalking without fear/alarm/distress.

He appeared in court via a link from custody last week.

Daily Echo: Southampton Magistrates' Court.Southampton Magistrates' Court.

Prosecuting, Reece Evans said he had caused his former partner “very serious distress and psychological harm”.

But Ollie O’Conner, defending, told the court that the contact was “not threatening” adding that Hill has been in custody since September 8.

Magistrate, David Boniface, told Hill the offence is “so serious that it does pass the custody threshold”.

“It has had a serious impact on the victim”, he added.

Hill was jailed for 12 weeks and must now pay £85 in costs.

A restraining order was also made banning him from contacting his victim or her family directly or indirectly for the next four years.

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