Woman feared ex would put intimate picture of her on 'banner'
A woman feared her ex-partner would put an intimate picture of her on a banner after their relationship broke down. Jamie Price made the threat to her during a campaign of harassment.
She briefly considered backing down but did report Price to police. The 34-year-old, of Brickbarn Close, Buckley, Flintshire, admitted intimidation and harassment.
A judge at Mold Crown Court told the defendant he should be thoroughly ashamed of his behaviour against the woman. He jailed him for nine months for the intimidation, with a term of two months in prison for harassment to run concurrently.
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Prosecutor Catherine Elvin said Price and the woman began a relationship in 2019 but it ended in February this year. She received messages "largely criticising her for ending the relationship". You can sign up for all the latest court stories here
The woman told Price to "stop bombarding" her with messages or she would contact police but Price's calls and texts continued. The prosecutor outlined a number of incidents where he was verbally abusive and became "scary".
His victim did contact police and Price was arrested. A trial date was set for July 17.
But on July 13 he drove to his mother's house and asked the woman, who was there, out of his car window if she was still pressing charges. When she said she was he said: "That's it. I've got nothing to lose. I'm going to put a banner up with your face on it'. "
The court heard the woman feared it would show an intimate photo of herself. For a "split second" she thought about withdrawing her complaint in the trial but "gathered her confidence" and went on to give evidence against her ex, said the prosecutor.
Indeed today the woman read out a victim statement at Price's sentencing hearing in Mold Crown Court. In it she said he gave her the impression that "If I try to move on he will try to consume my whole life."
She had turned her phone off to avoid receiving messages at times but said: "I can't turn my phone off forever. I just want to be able to feel like me again and to have a normal life.
"I want to live my life without constantly worrying about what he will say or do." Ember Wong, defending, said her client's offending was borne out of his inability to accept the breakdown in the relationship, although this was no excuse.
He is appalled, ashamed and remorseful about his behaviour, she added. He has no previous convictions and he has been in custody for the first time.
These last eight weeks on remand behind bars have been a "sobering and difficult experience". He is a hard worker who built up his own business which has now been lost.
The judge The Recorder Wyn Lloyd Jones told Jamie Oliver Price that it was quite clear that by February the relationship was over "but you would have none of it".
He should be thoroughly ashamed of what he did. His victim had been "brave" to speak in court. Jailing Price, he also made an indefinite restraining order.
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