Market Drayton stalker sentenced on his birthday after stealing ex's car and leaving it covered in sick
A stalker was sentenced on his birthday after stealing his ex’s car and leaving it covered in sick amid a campaign of bizarre behaviour.
Lewis Smith, a father, found himself in the dock at Shrewsbury Crown Court on the day he turned 33 (August 14, 2025) after harassing his former partner for several weeks.
Smith, who lived in Preston, Lancashire, and his ex from Market Drayton, had a six-month, long-distance relationship which ended in July last year.
However, months later, he began a stalking campaign, culminating in him turning up at her home holding a metal bar, demanding to see her.
The court was first told how on October 24 she discovered her Peugeot 3008 had gone from her home. Inside was her bank card.
She got in touch with her bank to cancel her card but found out it had been used.
She messaged Smith to ask if he had taken the car and the bank card and he replied: “Let me have one more drink,” saying he would return her property later.
He did not give the car back and it was found three days later in Telford.
When she eventually did get the vehicle back she discovered vomit had been left behind and had to get it professionally cleaned for £60.
She also found Smith had stolen £25 which had been tucked in the sun visor.
On November 14 the victim returned home to find Smith rummaging through her possessions in her garage. When he returned the car keys he did not give back the garage key.
She told Smith to leave and he threw the key at her, causing damage to the garage door.
Less than a fortnight later Smith entered her home through an unlocked door and was holding a metal bar. The victim’s mother was there.
Smith demanded to see his ex-partner but her new boyfriend disarmed and detained him until the police arrived.
He was interviewed by police on November 27 when he denied stalking, claiming it was the victim who had approached and assaulted him, and insisting he “couldn’t wait to get away from her”.
He said the allegations were “fabricated” by his ex and that messages from his accounts were sent by someone else who has access to his phone.
The victim said in an impact statement that she has suffered “significantly increased anxiety and stress levels” due to Smith’s behaviour, and that she is “embarrassed” to go out in Market Drayton due to her association with him.
Smith, of Carr Meadow, Bamber Bridge, Preston, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to one count of stalking at a previous hearing. He has 18 convictions for 32 offences.
By the time of his sentencing, Smith had served four months behind bars on remand.
Given the legal system’s typical rules of prisoners serving half of their sentence in jail and the rest on licence, that means Smith had served the equivalent of an eight-month prison sentence.
Rani Kaur, mitigating, asked Judge Trevor Meegan to take that into account when passing sentence.
The court was also told that Smith has been working in the prison as a cleaner and has been helping other inmates with reading and writing.
The judge sentenced Smith to six months in prison, meaning he would be released shortly due to the time he had already served.
He also ordered Smith to pay the victim £200 in compensation.
“I make it clear to the victim that £200 does not in any way cover the full extent of her distress, but it is some recognition of your offending,” the judge told Smith.
Judge Meegan issued Smith with a restraining order, banning him from contacting the victim until further order.