A STALKER who was ‘simply unwilling’ to leave his ex-girlfriend alone has been jailed for causing her to suffer alarm and distress over a prolonged period of time.

Liam Hughes terrified his former partner, caused her to have sleepless nights and to feel vulnerable in her own home with her four-year-old daughter, Preston Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Bethany Pilling said the defendant went to the woman’s house on several occasions during the night where he would knock on her windows and shout through her letter box.

She said on Christmas Eve last year he scratched the word ‘hell’ with a love heart into the bonnet of her Mazda - and just four days later smashed one of her car windows with a pole.

The 32-year-old, of Athol Street in Barrow, was sentenced on April 24 after pleading guilty to stalking involving serious alarm / distress and criminal damage to property valued under £5,000.

Ms Pilling said the offending started on May 20 2023 when Hughes sent an email to the victim from an unfamiliar email address calling her a ‘fat smelly rat’ before commenting ‘imagine being hairier than a man’.

The court heard Hughes attended the backyard of the complainant’s property one month later where he accused her of lying and called her a derogatory word whilst in the presence of her child.

Ms Pilling said the defendant, on another occasion, contacted her saying he was angry and jealous about her posting a picture of her and her daughter with the child’s father on Facebook.

She said Hughes then sent two separate £100 online bank transactions to the complainant on July 1 at 10:30pm but then banged on her windows to get her attention just a couple of hours later at 00:45 am.

On that occasion, the complainant said she was left ‘trembling and unable to breathe properly’ as she feared he was trying to gain entry to her property.

Hughes was arrested and placed on police bail. He did not continue stalking his victim until Christmas Eve – after the bail had been removed, the court was told.

In mitigation, James Heyworth said: “He clearly has significant issues with abusing alcohol and behaves particularly badly when he is in drink.

“He is somewhat of an enigma. I cannot give an insight into why he has behaved how he has and why he has drunk so much alcohol. It is a spectacular fall from grace.

“None of his behaviour is acceptable or justifiable. It is a mean and unpleasant way to treat someone.

“He has had time in custody to understand prison sentences will get longer and longer if he continues to offend."

The court heard there was a ‘history of domestic abuse’ between the two parties after Hughes was previously convicted in August 2022 for offences against the same complainant.

On that occasion, the court was told Hughes threw eggs at his ex-girlfriend’s window because she refused to have sex with the defendant. 

He also threatened to put child pornography onto her browser so she would lose custody of her daughter to social services, the court heard.

Sentencing the defendant to 27 months imprisonment, His Honour Judge Parry said: “You caused her alarm and distress over a significant period of time.

“She says she was frightened at being home alone and was constantly on edge. You made her feel vulnerable in her own home and you have caused her to suffer a significant financial impact.

“You committed these offences whilst subject to a community order. You knew exactly what you were doing, and it was calculated to cause her real fear.

“You are bright well-educated man, yet you knew exactly what you were doing and for that your behaviour was calculated.

“Stalking of this kind is a very serious offence. You have caused long-lasting effects to the victim and her family.

"You are simply unwilling to leave this woman alone.”

Judge Parry also imposed a restraining order until further notice.