A 70-year-old cleaner stalked a woman he vaguely knew from work and slashed her car tyres.
Problems arose in March 2020 when Reginald Lilley, of Cheyney Court, Orton Malborne, Peterborough, began repeatedly calling the woman for no reason and threatening to send her further messages.
He then turned up at the woman’s home in Lincolnshire unannounced and started causing problems, a court heard.
As a result, Lilley was moved from his work location of Hampton to another area of Peterborough.
Lilley was spoken to and given words of advice by Lincolnshire Police, and in January last year he lost his job because of the behaviour.
However, on 21 May, Lilley’s victim, who is in her 20s, finished work and went to get in her car in the staff car park in Peterborough.
She began to drive home but soon realised her driver’s side front tyre was flat and noticed a hole in the outside wall of the tyre.
The woman got help to change the tyre and drove back home but realised her car was still not driving well.
After she arrived home, she parked her car overnight on her driveway but in the morning, found that two of her other tyres were now flat and, once again, had small holes in the rubber.
She had to get a lift into work and suspected her tyres had been punctured the previous day.
This caused her to check the CCTV from the staff car park at work, which captured Lilley walking up to her car and damaging her tyres.
The woman paid just over £260 to replace her tyres and Lilley’s behaviour and actions caused her to quit her job.
Lilley was arrested on 13 June and his house searched, where a blue top matching what he was wearing in the CCTV was seized.
In police interview he gave a prepared statement denying stalking or harassing the woman, or damaging her car – adding that he was friends with her.
However, Lilley was then charged with stalking and criminal damage and later admitted the charges.
He was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court on Wednesday (1 February), where he was jailed for one year and four months.
Judge Sean Enright told him that his behaviour had such a severe impact on his victim that his sentence could not be suspended.
He was also handed a restraining order, to run indefinitely, preventing him from contacting his victim in any way.
DC Kevin Poole, who investigated, said: “Stalking or harassment can leave victims feeling isolated and frightened and can be very scary.
“I hope the sentence imposed, together with the indefinite restraining order, allow the victim to move on from this upsetting period of her life and gives her some closure.
“It’s important that victims of stalking or harassment know we are always here for them and will support them. We would encourage anyone who fears this may be happening to them to get in touch, no matter how small or insignificant the behaviour may seem.”
More information and advice can be found on the force’s dedicated stalking and harassment web page.
