Kettering stalker left victim feeling broken

A man who stalked his ex-wife in Kettering and changed her passwords online after taking her phone has been jailed.

Stanislav Stanev, 41, turned up at her home after their marriage failed and tried to visit her at work despite being arrested and bailed.

His actions left her suffering from panic attacks and he was jailed for 12 months for stalking at Leicester Crown Court today (Wednesday).

But because he's been held at HMP Peterborough on remand since August he is likely to be released "very soon".

The court heard Stanev, of Wellington Street in Kettering, was outside his victim's home on June 24 when she saw his car as she left.

She asked him to leave her alone and started filming him on her phone 'for her own safety', the court heard.

But Stanev then grabbed her and took her phone after some pushing and shoving, before fleeing after his ex-wife called for help.

The victim later found her Google account password had been changed with other accounts accessed. A recovery email had been changed and screenshots from her Facebook account had been taken.

Prosecuting, Ben Gow said she then left her home on July 5 and got a notification from her Ring doorbell camera later that day showing Stanev approaching her door and blocking the camera with his hand.

When she returned home the doorbell camera had gone with scratches around the lock that were not there when she left.

Stanev was arrested and bailed on the condition he didn't contact his ex-wife.

"That did not deter him," Mr Gow said.

On August 2 he turned up at her place of work, trying to disguise himself with a beanie hat and sunglasses and she started to record him.

A week later, on August 9, he sent his ex-wife's friend a message in an attempt to contact her indirectly. Later that he turned up at her place of work again, but thankfully she was able to leave without speaking to him.

Mr Gow said: "It's fair to say it shook her up."

The victim was left suffering panic attacks as a result of the stalking.

In a note read out in court by Mr Gow, she said: "He has broken me...I just want him to stay away and leave me alone."

Jonathan Rosen, representing Stanev, said there was little he could offer in mitigation.

He said: "This is a sad case of a marriage gone wrong."

His Honour Judge David Herbert QC sentenced Stanev to 12 months in prison with half in custody and the remainder on licence.

But he is likely to be released 'very soon' given the time he has spent on remand.

Judge Herbert told the stalker: "I hope you understand the effect your behaviour has had on her."

A restraining order was made banning Stanev from contacting his victim until further order.