FAMILY and friends in Thurrock of a woman stalked and terrorised by her former partner have welcomed his jail sentence, though the victim says she would rather have seen him see sense before ending up behind bars.

The long and sordid tale of the stalking of the victim, (who Thurrock Nub News has chosen not to name so as not to add to her distress) was retold at Basildon Crown Court, where a judge heard the actions of Ian Wren included putting the victim's sister's Stanford-le-Hope home under surveillance and he hacked into her internet accounts as a way of finding out where her sister was.

The court heard that Wren, 51, of Stoney Bridge Drive, Waltham Abbey, bombarded his former partner with phone calls and text messages after their relationship ended in August 2018 after ten years.

He followed her and turned up uninvited at her home and workplace. On one occasion he followed her around a supermarket in Brentwood and threatened to kill her and himself. He ignored a letter she sent him telling him to stop and continued to send emails, messages and unwanted flowers. A tracking device was also found on her car.

The victim says the four year jail sentence handed out to Wren doesn't give her any satisfaction – she just wanted her ordeal at his hands to stop.

She says: "I had to be really, really strong to deal with this and it got worse but I knew I wouldn't give in. It took me years to leave him.

"Because it got so crazy I used to give in and go back to him so the madness would stop. For years I did that, but this time I couldn't. It had been ten years and I knew I couldn't do that forever."

She said Wren was "extremely persistent" and continued to cyber-stalk her even while he was under investigation.

Wren was arrested twice in September last year and again in November, but continued to contact her. He failed to answer bail twice and police carried out a search to find him, including a public appeal for information.

Wren, was further arrested on January 7 this year and charged with 'stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress'.

He admitted the charge on Wednesday, 13 February but sentencing was delayed until Friday 20 December, where he was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court to four years in prison, with 101 days spent on electronic curfew taken off.

The judge also issued a restraining order for an indefinite period.

His former partner said: "The police have been amazing, they did everything they were supposed to do and more. My family are also amazing, I am so lucky, they have been really supportive."

One of those closest to her, her sister Kerry who lives in Stanford-le-Hope and was herself targeted by his actions, says the whole sorry tale could have been avoided – and she hopes that in time Wren will get the help her family believe he needs.

She says: "I'm sad he wouldn't let go. He caused such tremendous stress for my sister and the family.

"We only wanted her to feel safe, but he would not stop. He caused such mental stress for her, and it was so distressing to witness.

"We constantly worried for her physical and mental well-being. It was so upsetting and frustrating that he kept getting bail, and kept being able to get adjournments, it felt like it was never to end. We hope he gets the help he needs, and my sister gets to rebuild her life."

Detective Inspector Karen Knibbs said: "Wren's campaign of harassing and threatening behaviour has had a lasting impact on his victim and is nothing short of psychological abuse.

"He continually ignored her pleas for him to stop, and carried on even when he was under police investigation.

"He had absolutely no regard for the effect he was having on her, and showed a blatant disregard for the law and the judicial system."

"I would ask anyone who believes they are a victim of stalking to please tell us so we can investigate.

"There are a number of support agencies who can help if you are not willing to speak to police and I would urge you to seek help from these groups who can give the help and support needed."

Some of the organisations that can help include:

http://www.setdab.org