Essex stalker jailed after holiday romance turned to violence

Alex O’Neil threatened to use acid on a woman from the Bradford area, who he met on holiday in Tenerife after she ended their relationship due to his extreme behaviour.

He then travelled more than 200 miles from his home in Essex, daubed the words “slag” on her house and “slut” on her car, and later broke into her property when his trains were cancelled.

He then lay in wait and attacked the victim when she returned.

His stalking was described as being so extreme that it had “every aggravating feature short of him killing her.”

Court hears of harrowing impact on victim

In a statement to Bradford Crown Court, the victim said: “It’s had a massive impact on me and my children. We’ve had to move home and schools. We were homeless at Christmas because of his actions. I’ve been diagnosed with PTSD, and I suffer with anxiety, nerves, and stress.

“I’ve been sick today and sat in my car trying to make myself come in [to court]. It’s completely ruined my life. I have completely changed in personality, and I don’t let my children out of my sight.”

Prosecutor Nick Adlington said the two were together for around six weeks after meeting on holiday in Tenerife last year. They met up a number of times on their return to the UK with O’Neil travelling from Essex.

The relationship quickly turned sour. On September 22 a drunken O’Neil sent several extremely abusive text messages threatening the victim with guns and to “send the boys”. He also left abusive voice notes. He apologised the next day.

On October 2 he was en-route to see her in Bradford when his train was delayed. There was an argument, and she told him to go home.

On November 3 she awoke to find O’Neil in her home having climbed in through a window. A week later she broke off the relationship.

Mr Adlington said: “From this point on things really started to turn nasty.”

O’Neil sent a string of messages on November 23 and 24 threatening to use local drug dealers against her. When she asked him to stop, he threatened her with acid, saying: “We don’t do hot water, we do acid.”

The case was heard at Bradford Crown Court

On December 2 when the victim was away, the word “slag” was spray-painted on the front of her home and “slut” sprayed on the windscreen of her car. The police were called, and enquiries placed O’Neil in Bradford.

When the victim arrived home with her former partner at 1am she discovered O’Neil had broken into the house.

Mr Adlington said: “He grabs her, he assaults her, he locks the door to prevent [the former partner] from getting into the house to assist. He’s telling her he’s going to kill her, [that] she’s dead and ‘If I get nicked, I’ll send the boys'. 

“She ends up grabbing a kitchen knife to protect herself. [The former partner] has called the police. The defendant is arrested trying to escape through some back gardens. Police officers attending find a smashed rear window through which he’s gained entry.”

The victim suffered a cut to her eye, swelling and bruising, and was taken to hospital.

Messages downloaded from O’Neil’s phone showed he had threatened to torture and kill both her and any new boyfriend.

'Stalking case has virtually every aggravating feature'

Mr Adlington said: “All of the different aspects – the burglary, criminal damage – are all aspects of a stalking case that has virtually every aggravating feature short of him killing her.”

O’Neil, 27, of Dorset Avenue, Chelmsford, who appeared via video link from HMP Leeds, later pleaded guilty to stalking with violence, criminal damage, burglary with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The court heard he had previous convictions for harassment, breach of a restraining order, battery, and criminal damage.

Mitigating, Jodie-Jane Hitchcock said O’Neil was disgusted and ashamed of his “deplorable” behaviour which was attributed to a combination of drink, drugs, and personal bereavements.

She said: “He was in a dark place, on the brink of suicide. That does not excuse what he did.

“He has addictive behaviours and candidly admits that they have ruined his life.”

His Honour Judge Jonathan Gibson sentenced O’Neil to four years in prison for stalking plus two years for ABH, 33 months for burglary with intent to inflict GBH, and two months for criminal damage, all to be served concurrently.

He also ordered O’Neil to abide by an indefinite restraining order prohibiting any contact with the victim.

'Significant psychological harm' caused 

Judge Gibson said: “You’ve admitted that you had grievous bodily harm as your intention. In fact, the injuries, which were serious enough, amounted to actual bodily harm. You were engaged in a sustained assault upon her in her own home.

“Your conduct went on with a significant degree of force [and was] designed to maximise fear or distress.

“It is plain that you caused her very serious distress at the very least and no doubt significant psychological harm."