A STALKER  has been sentenced for spying on a woman in her rear yard and accessing her private social media account.

John-Reece Perry, of Howe Street, Barrow, pleaded guilty to stalking without fear/alarm/distress at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court on October 23.

Court records show the 32-year-old attended the victim's rear yard on more than one occasion without her permission and accessed her Facebook account to spy on her.

The offence took place in Barrow between April 16 and May 4 this year.

Magistrates sentenced Perry to a 12-month community order with one requirement of completing 60 hours of unpaid work.

Perry was also issued with a 12-month restraining order with the requirement of not to contacting his victim by any means whatsoever, including electronically or via a third party.

He was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a £114 surcharge.