Yahoo News Northumberland stalker fitted tracker to wife's car to find out where she lived after she left him
A sinister stalker fitted a tracking device to his wife's car to find out where she lived after she left him.
Paranoid and jealous Michael Burton had already subjected the woman to years of controlling and coercive behaviour, repeatedly falsely accusing her of infidelity, even making sickening and outlandish claims of her sleeping with family members. She moved out to make a fresh start and hardly anyone knew where she was so she was terrified when Burton showed up, having fitted a tracker to her car.
The victim was so unnerved, she left the flat, where she had only been for a month and where she had signed a tenancy agreement, and never returned. She revealed how his behavoiur left her petrified as Burton was given a suspended prison sentence for stalking and controlling behaviour.
Newcastle Crown Court heard he had verbally abused her and accused her on multiple occasions of having affairs with family members. His controlling and coercive behaviour lasted for three years and included him monitoring her movements, controlling her use of her phone and emails, accusing her of infidelity with many men who crossed their paths, isolating her and humiliating and degrading her.
Judge Penny Moreland told him: "That count represents what in my view is a terrifying degree of paranoia and control on your part. You accused her of having an affair with her own son, your son. You forced her to take a lie detector test at one point."
The court heard the relationship ended in February 2023 and she moved out. But Burton, who had "morbid jealousy", then began stalking her, between February 3 and March 31 that year.
He repeatedly contacted her, tried to manipulate their children into contacting her on his behalf and Judge Moreland said: "In a most sinister move, you, without her knowledge, fitted a tracking device to her car.
"You maintained that tracking device, topping it up only days before your arrest. Your purpose was to find out where she lived and you did that and went to her home.
"So frightened and distressed was she, despite the fact she moved there for a fresh start and signed a tenancy, she never returned to the flat, having been there for one month only."
In a victim impact statement, the woman said: "I'm in great fear of Michael and what he can do. I feel so frightened of him now he has found where I live I feel scared to be alone.
"He has controlled me for years and his behaviour is getting more erratic." Summarising further victim impact details, prosecutor Rachel Glover said: "She has endured abuse and manipulation and feels shame, worthlessness and is embarrassed.
"To be accused of having an intimate relationship with her own son is particularly embarrassing. The finding of the tracking device was humiliating.
"When she left she didn't take anything with her. She has left her entire marriage-worth of belongings. If she could simply sleep without the worry every time there's an unexpected knock at the door, that would be enough."
Burton, 61, of Widdrington Cottages, Shilbottle, Northumberland, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour and stalking. He was given a two-year suspended sentence and a restraining order.
The court heard he had a traumatic childhood and has PTSD and has sought psychiatric help since 1982. Suzannah Proctor, defending, said: "They had been together for nearly 40 years. At the time he was unaware she was so very unhappy with their relationship or the effect his behaviour was having on her. That's as a result of his mental health difficulties.
"The breakdown of their marriage came as an awful shock to him because he didn't see it coming. It seems from the outside it's very obvious why it broke down but it was not clear to him at the time."
Miss Proctor said his claim that his wife was having an affair with their son was "absurd" and showed how unwell he was. She added: "The fact he made such outlandish allegations against her shows how poorly and paranoid he was.
"Once he came to terms with the fact the relationship was at an end and his behaviour was criminal he has kept away from her. It genuinely came as a shock to him that what he was doing was criminal, at the time."
Miss Proctor said Burton has anxiety, depression, paranoia and a personality disorder. She said they had "mutual trackers" on their phones. The judge asked why he put the tracker on her car and she replied: "He wanted to know where she lived. When he went to the property he sought to speak to her and ask why she chose to end the marriage."
