September
No Jail Term for Harassment of Lawyer
A man who conducted a campaign of harassment against the barrister who once represented him has been given a suspended sentence at Southwark Crown Court. John Webster, 29, pleaded guilty to sending a series of threatening texts and emails over several months to Ingrid Lewis, a 28-year-old barrister from London.
The court was told that Miss Lewis had represented John Webster in 2016, when he was acquitted of stalking a young woman. Following the trial, Webster sent Miss Lewis unwanted gifts and messages, including over eighty text messages sent in a single weekend. He admitted registering her on sex worker sites, resulting in nuisance phone calls and messages.
Webster’s barrister, Dan Knowles, said the defendant had been affected by stress and depression after the trial and became temporarily obsessed with Miss Lewis. ‘He is very sorry for his actions and his main concern is Miss Lewis’s mental and physical well-being. This behaviour was out of character and he is ashamed of himself.’
Webster had been acquitted of seven other charges at his trial last month, including criminal damage and harassment.
Judge Harold Grey told the defendant that he was a clever and talented individual with a bright future ahead of him and didn’t deserve a custodial sentence for his behaviour. The judge described it as ‘a moment of madness’ and sentenced Webster to a six-month suspended sentence and 100 hours of community service.
He also made him the subject of a restraining order not to go within 200 metres of Miss Lewis or contact her in any way. The judge made the order to run for the next two years, until September 2019.
October
Log of Incidents taken from Ingrid Lewis’s notes
|
2.10.17 |
16.07 |
Silent phone call |
Call from an unknown number to my mobile phone |
|
2.10.17 |
16.09 |
Silent phone call |
Call from an unknown number to my mobile phone |
|
2.10.17 |
16.20 |
Silent phone call |
Call from an unknown number to my mobile phone |
|
2.10.17 |
16.23 |
Silent phone call |
Call from an unknown number to my mobile phone |
|
2.10.17 |
16.31 |
Silent phone call |
Call from an unknown number to my mobile phone |
|
2.10.17 |
16.33 |
Silent phone call |
Call from an unknown number to my mobile phone |
|
2.10.17 |
16.35 |
Silent phone call |
Call from an unknown number to my mobile after which I turned my phone off |
|
3.10.17 |
06.05 |
Silent phone call |
Call from an unknown number as soon as I turned my phone on |
|
10.10.17 |
08.15 |
JW breached conditions of restraining order |
Saw JW in the same Underground carriage (Central Line travelling east). He made no make contact with me, and got off at Bank station, the first station after I noticed him. |
|
15.10.17 |
Exact time unknown 01.00 – 05.00 |
Damage to car |
Rear windscreen smashed outside the house |
|
17.10.17 |
09.03 |
Silent phone call |
Call from an unknown number to my mobile as soon as Mark left the house |
|
18.10.17 |
14.24 |
Silent phone call |
Call from an unknown number to my mobile as soon as Mark left the house |
|
19.10.17 |
?02.00 |
Criminal damage to CCTV cameras |
CCTV cameras installed outside house on 19.6.17 were smashed |
|
21.10.17 |
?03.00 |
Criminal damage to CCTV cameras |
Replacement CCTV cameras smashed |
|
24.10.17 |
06.28 |
JW breached conditions of restraining order |
Saw JW while waiting for a platform announcement at Euston station. He walked past me carrying what seemed to be an empty bag. |
|
26.10.17 |
13.42 |
JW breached conditions of restraining order |
At Aylesbury Crown Court for work, went to a café for lunch, JW came in and ordered a coffee |
|
27.10.17 |
21.00 approx |
Handbag stolen |
Handbag stolen while at dinner in Ecarté on the South Bank, sitting outside. Had to change locks, cancel card, wipe mobile phone. Possibly not JW. |