Jailed: Telford man threatened to rape ex-colleague in 'very serious case of stalking'

Conner Dickens, aged 25, briefly worked with the victim in Telford in 2018, but became infatuated with her.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard how Dickens turned up at her new place of work, stared, begged her for dates, sent her sexual 'memes' and told her he loved her.

Dickens joined the Telford branch in May 2018, and only worked one shift with the victim before she moved to a new job. They didn't see each other again until the next year, when Dickens went in as a customer to her new place of work at a pub in Telford.

The first time Dickens' behaviour rang alarm bells was in December 2021, when he was staring at the victim at the pub, an incident she said made her feel "uncomfortable". Shortly after, she received a Facebook message and a friend request from him.

Later that month he messaged her saying "I love you".

In February last year Dickens sent her a message saying there was a "serial killer" about. Several months passed before he sent her a series of internet 'memes', including one of a sexually explicit nature.

The stalking continued, with Dickens sometimes sending her two or three messages a day, until eventually the victim had enough, and told him she was not interested in a romantic relationship with him whatsoever.

That prompted Dickens to turn up at her work again in September last year. He kept asking if she was free and was "following her everywhere". She called the duty manager, who told Dickens he was being "inappropriate" and ordered him to leave.

At the end of her shift she ran to the bus to get away from the area.

Later that day, after she had left, Dickens returned and told staff he was "going to kill her". He smashed a gate, causing £2,000 worth of damage.

His stalking campaign continued into December last year, as he made fake Facebook and Instagram accounts as well as email addresses to message her.

He told her he was going to rape her, and he "wouldn't be satisfied until she was crying in a pool of her own blood".

The victim said the ordeal had made her uncomfortable around male friends.

Dickens, of High Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, pleaded guilty to stalking and criminal damage.

His defence lawyer said the behaviour was "out of character" and he "feels ashamed" of it.

Judge David Hale said: "It wasn't even someone he really knew. It's very rare that a case like this arises out of nothing."

He told Dickens: "This was a very serious case of stalking. You have totally unsettled her life."

The judge jailed him for two years, adding: "You must never have anything to do with this girl ever again. If you happen to see her in the street, you must turn around and go the other way."