Southampton librarian stalked colleague for two years after affair

Richard Ashman, 62, of Lower Canal Walk, launched a two-year stalking campaign against Catherine Brear after she told him she wanted to end their tryst.

Southampton Crown Court heard how Ashman, who was her supervisor at the Burgess Road library, had started the affair with her at a time when she was fearing for her job.

Married Ashman - once honoured by the Queen - and Ms Brear shared an embrace in the backroom of the library at one point, the court heard.

But Ashman turned ugly in early 2017 when she moved to end the relationship. She feared he would reveal their affair, with the court told he had been 'trying to mostly blackmail' his victim.

Ms Brear, who was in a relationship with another woman, moved to Shirley Library to get away but Ashman could not accept the relationship was over - and started stalking her in 2019.

Richard Ashman outside Southampton Crown Court (Image: Solent News & Photo Agency.)

He visited her workplace twice, regularly cycled past her home and bombarded her with 12 unwanted emails of a sexual nature.

Ms Brear told her partner about the affair in November 2020 and in March 2021 she told her manager at the city council's library service about Ashman's approaches.

Despite her manager contacting him and requesting he stop, Ashman continued, sending her roses and letters on her birthday, and even looking through her bins in her front garden.

In a statement read out in court, Ms Brear said: “This whole incident has left me feeling very nervous whenever I’m alone in my house.

“Whenever I walk to and from work, I’m constantly looking over my shoulder.

“I don’t go out in the day when I’m on my own because I’m too afraid.”

Ashman, who previously received a BEM from the Queen in recognition of his service to further education, admitted to stalking, causing serious alarm or distress.

Judge Christopher Parker KC told him he would not accept the affair was over and was “unrelenting” in emailing her “professing your romantic obsession with her".

Addressing the defendant, the judge said: “You currently appear to have lost your mental balance to a remarkable degree.

“You caused both of them but especially (Ms Brear) really serious distress over a prolonged period.”

He described the stalking as “like an invisible cage,” making her feel like she couldn’t leave her home.

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Prosecuting, Tim Devlin added: “She is very frightened and often had panic attacks.

“Mr Ashman is of an age really beyond which he should know better.”

Ashman was sentenced to 15 months suspended for 18 months and must complete 20 rehabilitation days and 180 hours of unpaid work.

A restraining order was made banning him from contacting Ms Brear and her partner, as well as barring him from going to Shirley Library.

Richard Ashman outside Southampton Crown Court (Image: Solent News & Photo Agency.)

Mitigating, Keely Harvey said the pair had not been in contact since January 2022 and that her client knew "that it is well and truly over”.

She said: “He knows he shouldn’t be going to their home address.

“He is a man that has got his priorities now in order. He knows that what he did was wrong.

“He is a man that has reached 62 years of age, and this is the first and only blemish. I don’t believe we will be seeing Mr Ashman here at all.”

Ashman, who had no previous convictions, acted as a foster carer for many years, taking in children needing support.

He worked as a library co-ordinator at City College Southampton when he received his BEM.