Leeds man showed 'total disregard' of court order as he harassed and stalked ex partner who 'lived in hell'
A Leeds man who continued to send threatening and abusive messages to an ex partner just weeks after being sentenced for stalking her has been jailed.
Ricky Morrell, 29, received a suspended sentence in June over a campaign of stalking his ex-girlfriend. Morrell had threatened to “slit her throat” and bombarded the woman with texts and calls, Leeds Crown Court heard.
Morrell, of Turnberry Gardens, Tingley, pleaded guilty to one charge of stalking and another of obstructing a police officer and was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday (September 5).
For the prosecution, Anna Chambers told the court that the victim’s car was “set on fire and destroyed” on July 18 and Morrell sent a message, which said: “Don’t forget a bottle of water next time haha.”
When the complainant messaged Morrell telling him he would go to prison, he responded: “**** them. No tag so I’m away.”
Morrell also sent fire, explosion and knife emojis, which left the victim “in fear that the defendant would burn her house down”, the court was told.
He continued sending messages in the following weeks to the victim saying he would “smash your face in” and “stamp on your dog’s head”.
An altercation broke out when police went to arrest Morrell. During a police interview on August 9 he gave no comment.
A victim impact statement was read out to the court in which Morrell’s ex partner said: “For the last few months I have lived in hell.”
Representing Morrell, Jim Littlehales said that his client - a self-employed mechanic - knew that “custody is inevitable” and “accepts that his behaviour was totally unacceptable”.
Morrell was sentenced by His Honour Judge Alexander Menary, who had sentenced him at the previous hearing earlier in the year.
He told Morrell: “It was my hope you might be rehabilitated. How wrong I was.
“Your behaviour continued very much in the same way and same vein.”
He said that Morell had shown “complete disregard and contempt for this court and my order”, and added: “I said that if I saw you again I will send you to prison and I will keep my word.”
He jailed Morrell for 30 months for the most recent charges and activated the previous suspended sentence, which led to a total sentence of 40 months in prison. He was also issued with a 10-year restraining order.