Mansfield stalker’s five-year campaign plunged ex into ‘whirlpool of despair’

A Mansfield stalker has been jailed for continuing to contact his ex-partner on social media five years after they split up and hurling abuse which plunged her into "a whirlpool of despair," a court has heard.
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Robert Carlin began “pleading for her to chat” on Pinterest, despite being subject to a restraining order which bans him from getting in touch with her, in March this year, Nottingham Crown Court heard.

Nicola Patten, prosecuting, said Carlin contacted her again on the dating website Bumble and began accusing her of being unfaithful, and said: "You know what? F*** you. You have proven your true colours."

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The court was told their relationship ended in 2018 and a restraining order was imposed.

Nottingham Crown CourtNottingham Crown Court
Nottingham Crown Court

However, Carlin, aged 42, ignored it. He was jailed for 10 months, suspended for 21 months, in August last year, after breaching that order four times.

The court heard he has 10 previous convictions for 22 offences, including stalking against the same victim.

In a statement, she said she was “living on edge that he will do something”, changing her routine and “constantly watching her back”.

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“He is relentless and I am scared about what he will do,” she said. “I just want him to leave me alone.”

Carlin, of Wharmby Avenue, Mansfield, admitted stalking, breaching the restraining order and the suspended sentence.

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Jeremy Janes, mitigating, said Carlin had abided by an exclusion zone, but struggled with the end of a relationship and this was compounded by alcohol.

He said Carlin had an “unhappy upbringing”, “issues within his military history,” and “complex post-traumatic stress disorder”.

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“He has not always thought things through as clearly or as sensiblly as he should have done,” Mr Jones said.

He was recalled to prison for breaching the suspended sentence, but a package of measures could be put in place for when he is released in September, Mr Jones added.

Jailing him for 14 months, Mr Recorder Geoff Kelly told Carlin: “This poor woman is not being allowed to get on with her life. Everytime you contact her, I have no doubt it sends her into a whirlpool of despair and we can see that from her victim impact statement.

“I am afraid you had your chance to show you had taken on board what the court and probation had to say.”