Stalker's sinister voicemail to ex girlfriend after stealing her dog's ashes

A stalker stole an urn containing his ex-girlfriend's dog's ashes before being found sitting on a slide outside her house. Allan Crook was already banned from contacting his estranged partner when he subjected her to yet another campaign of harassment.

This also saw him make a series of bank transfers in the sum of a penny each as he desperately attempted to make contact with his victim. He then burst into her home and attacked her, leaving her cowering in a bathroom in terror.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Monday, that Crook had previously been in a relationship with his victim but was then locked up for nine months in May this year after being convicted of stalking her. The 36-year-old, of Pollitt Crescent in St Helens, was also given a restraining order banning him from contacting her at this time.

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But Iain Criddle, prosecuting, described how he began to bombard the complainant with text messages and calls from a withheld number following his release from prison on June 27, having previously been held in custody on remand since February 2024. On August 14, the victim then noticed that an urn containing her deceased dog's ashes had gone missing from her mantlepiece, after which Crook left her a voicemail stating: "I've got the urn in my hands."

The following day, she looked out of her window to see the defendant sitting on a slide outside her address. He also made a series of 1p transfers into her bank account alongside messages "asking him to contact her" as a "way of getting around" her having blocked him on social media.

Then, at around 8am on August 16, the victim had been letting her dogs out into her back garden when Crook climbed over her gate and ran into her home. She locked herself in a bathroom as a result before her pets "managed to scare him off".

When she then attempted to flee the property, he grabbed hold of her arms before taking hold of her throat. Her dressing gown was ripped during the incident, while Crook also attempted to take her mobile phone from her and knocked her to the ground.

Peter White, defending the landscape gardener, told the court: "He accepts that his conduct towards [his victim] has had a significant impact on her. To his credit, he does hold his hands up to that conduct.

"The parties were in a relationship for a considerable period. He instructs me that, a little over 12 months ago, the couple lost a child in stillbirth. He has not coped with that.

"He has to appreciate that she is no doubt grieving with that loss. He tells me that, upon his release, he was engaging with services and seeking employment. He accepts, quite simply, that he has turned to drink and acted in this manner. He can only apologise."

Crook admitted assault and breaching a restraining order. Appearing via video link to HMP Birmingham, he was jailed for 10 months. Sentencing, Recorder Kevin Slack said: "This offending began within days of your release from custody.

"In mitigation, it is stated that you are remorseful for what you have done. I am told, very sadly, that you lost a child and you have struggled to come to terms with that and resorted to drink. It is submitted on your behalf that you are resolved to get the help you need, and I hope you will do that.

"If you are foolish enough to breach this restraining order again, you can only expect to receive longer and longer sentences. I can only hope that this will be the last breach."