Dad ends up in court for going to fair with woman he claimed to love

Mohammed Husnen was spared jail at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.
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Dad Gary Lovatt ended up in court for going to a fair with a woman he professed to love. The 52-year-old was made the subject of a restraining order not to contact a woman.

But Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard he breached the order by contacting his ex because he wanted to help her 'because of his Christian beliefs'. He also ended up going to a fair with her.

Now Lovatt has been handed a 12-month community order. Prosecutor Emma Swindell said the defendant was made the subject of a restraining order not to contact the woman on January 4, 2022.

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But he was arrested on September 1, 2023 after he contacted her. Miss Swindell said: "He made a significant statement when being transported to custody that he had been in contact with her and he felt he was duty-bound to contact her. He made reference to his Christian beliefs and wanting to help her.

"His mobile was seized. This revealed a series of communications. On August 30, 2023 he had sent her a link to a YouTube video. On July 5, 17 and 18 he sent her a message that was non-threatening and he stated he was praying for her.

"On November 1, 2023 the complainant accepts she approached the defendant to ask him to stop messaging her mother. He bought her some petrol upon her request.

"She attended a fair and went on a ride with the defendant's child. She took them home. The defendant messaged her the following day."

Lovatt, of Westwood Heath Road, Leek, pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching a restraining order. The offences placed him in breach of a 12-week suspended jail sentence he received in January 2022 for stalking and breaching a non-molestation order.

Rob Holt, mitigating, said there has been a 'substantial amount of provocation'. He said Lovatt loved the complainant at the time. He has since turned his life around, kicked his drug addiction and now helps addicts with their addictions.

As part of the community order Lovatt must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for up to 20 days and 40 hours unpaid work. He was fined £100 for breaching the suspended sentence.

Recorder Richard McConaghy said: "You have been convicted of 58 criminal offences. It is significant that you were subject to a suspended sentence at the point you committed these offences. An aggravating feature is your previous convictions."

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