A mum has spoken of her anguish after her footballer ex-boyfriend harassed her after she revealed she was six months pregnant.
Fisayo Adarabioyo, 27, who played for Crystal Palace as well as football clubs in Altrincham and Ashton, was convicted of turning up at his ex-partner's home in Knutsford, Cheshire, and bombarding her with texts after he found out about the baby.
Speaking to the M.E.N, the victim described how she was shocked and scared by his reaction, which included a text saying 'I genuinely hope you die.'
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Adarabioyo was sentenced to a 12-month community order after being found guilty of harassment without violence at Warrington Magistrates Court on January 3.
The victim, whose identity has been concealed, said they'd met through social media and began a 'casual' relationship in 2019. "We live in the same town so we spoke about that," she said.
"We were seeing each other on and off. It wasn't a serious relationship because there is an age gap between us. He is 27 and I have just turned 39. I also have a child from another relationship."
The woman said she ended things with Adarabioyo in December 2021 but later discovered that she was pregnant.
"I realised that I did want to go ahead with the pregnancy and I tried to meet up with him to have a conversation about it but that was unsuccessful," she said.
In May last year, she sent him a text informing him. "I had not been able to meet up with him so I had to send him a text," she said. "I was nearly 24 weeks pregnant at this point. His reaction was shocking and scary."
The court heard that Adarabioyo turned up at the victim's home late at night - banging on her front door and throwing gravel at her windows demanding to be let in.
He finally left her property but then proceeded to bombard her with dozens of text messages saying: 'If you tell anyone I'll kill you' and 'Just kill yourself - everyone will be happier'.
The mum called the police after the footballer, who also played for Macclesfield Town FC, made 45 attempts to call her.
In a victim statement read to the court, the woman, who has since given birth to her daughter, said she had to have growth scans for her pregnancy due to the stress of what she'd been through.
"I was very stressed throughout my pregnancy and had to receive an increase support from doctors due to my stress levels in order to monitor the pregnancy," she said.
"This resulted in me having to have fortnightly growth scans to monitor my unborn child. I feel that due to the additional stress on me throughout my pregnancy due to my ex this caused me to have a premature birth in which I required an emergency C Section and my daughter required care in the neo natal unit for two weeks following her birth.
"I am aware that complications can occur with any pregnancy, however I have a child from a previous relationship and did not have such complications with that birth.
"I feel that the additional complications with my daughters birth and care we both required was all due to the stress put on me due to my ex partner and the stress of a police investigation.
"I feel vulnerable as I am a lone parent of two children and have put a ring door bell on my address just for peace of mind for myself due to living alone with the kids."
Adarabioyo was given a 12-month community order and will have to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay the victim £200 compensation.
He will have to pay £640 in court costs and a 12-month restraining order was also imposed preventing him from contacting the victim or going near her home.
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