A ‘brave’ survivor of stalking has told her former partner that she and her family have suffered due to his ‘frightening’ campaign to rekindle their relationship. Today, Benjamin Dunn, 32, was sentenced to prison in an emotional court hearing.
Appearing via video link from Forest Bank Prison at Minshull Street Crown Court, Dunn heard directly from his victim the terrible toll his actions took on her and her children. Jessica Carson, who has given the Manchester Evening News special permission to name her, read her personal impact statement before a court this Wednesday (July 27), as Dunn was sentenced by her Honour Judge Angela Nield.
Prior to her statement, prosecutor Betsy Hindle had revealed the scale of Dunn’s intimidation on Ms Carson and her family. Following the breakdown of their 12-month-long relationship in November 2021, Dunn began to ‘bombard’ her with phone calls and messages on social media, Ms Hindle told the court.
Those messages included threats of suicide, causing Ms Carson distress. A fortnight after their split, she was in a Wetherspoons pub — and when Dunn found out her location, he began searching the premises. Security staff removed him having been informed he was subject to a non-molestation order, but he remained outside the boozer for another 90 minutes.
Dunn, of Ivy Court in Glossop, continued to harass Ms Carson from early November last year until late April 2022. During that time, he was seen outside her children’s school and nursery, egged her home, banged on her windows and threatened to smash them, and called her hundreds of times from a withheld number.
The impact on Ms Carson and her children was huge, as indicated by her brave decision to read her victim personal statement aloud in court. She said: “He has caused me issues with my confidence. When I went for a night out I had to cover up my life. I lost touch with male friends. In November 2021, it came to an end and since then he has caused me to live in fear as to what he would do next.
“It has had a negative effect on my life and my family’s life. I have to worry if he is behind me. I have members of school staff watching for Ben for [my children’s] safety. He constantly texts me when he finds out I have gone anywhere.
“I feel frightened in my own home. The children have suffered. My son is scared to sleep properly. My eldest daughter tries to look after me. It is not her place to look after her mum. It is not fair on any of them. This is not love at all.
“Since he has been on remand I have trouble sleeping. My life has become so abnormal I almost miss a normal life. I suffer from anxiety.
“Ben has put me off being in a relationship again. I am scared it will happen again. I am beginning to get back to my old self. I want to move on with my children and I do not want any contact with Ben.”
Defending Mr Dunn was Adam White, who told the court that his client ‘accepted that he is the person in the wrong here’. Mr White added: “He was angry and upset throughout this period. The motivating factor was the breakdown of a relationship which Mr Dunn felt strongly about and had not accepted had come to an end.
“He has accepted that he is the person in the wrong here. His poor mental health has played a part in this case. I do not suggest it is a matter which reduces his culpability for these offences but it is a factor. Some of these threats are threats to his own safety.”
Dunn has three previous convictions for four offences, one of which was for stalking in 2013 with another woman. Her Honour Judge Nield concluded that his criminal past was proof that an immediate prison term was necessary.
In a lengthy address to Dunn, dressed in a black T-shirt and grey joggers, she said: “All of these offences were committed within the context of a domestic relationship and your now-former partner.
“You have known her since you were both children. You clearly had an established pattern of friendship before that became a relationship. She has been very brave attending court today to read out her victim personal statement.
“It was measured and at the beginning of that relationship that she carried the view — that you found impossible to relinquish — this was a good relationship. Sadly, that relationship deteriorated and when she sought to end it you could not and would not accept it.
“It is difficult to imagine the sort of pressure that you went to place open the complainant over a period of several months. During that time you bombarded her with phone calls, with angry threats, and recriminations which caused her to fear a knock on the door and every shadow in the dark.
“You breached the safety and security, which everybody is entitled to rely on in your own home — and almost more worrying you did so knowing that there were three children present. Children she has described as upset and frightened at times, particularly when you threw eggs at the door. That is a petty and stupid act in the cold light of day, but in the dark, those bangs on the door were terrifying every members of that household.”
Dunn was sentenced to 20 months in prison for one offence of stalking involving fear of violence and two breaches of non-molestation orders.
The 32-year-old is now also subject to an indefinite restraining order from Ms Carson, and her family, and must stay 100 metres away from her house at all times.
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