Footballer's stalking nearly drove ex-girlfriend to suicide
Published: 2013 May 14 08:46:24 (6159 Views)
A former professional footballer stalked his ex-girlfriend after she refused to go on a lavish holiday with him, a court heard.
Matthew Ghent, 32, a former goalkeeper for Aston Villa and England's youth teams, booked the break after the couple ended their six-month relationship.
Ghent, who posted pictures of himself online in a bath full of £20 notes, bombarded the probation officer with emails and text messages after she refused to accompany him
He only left when her concerned colleagues threatened to phone the police, who had already given Ghent a harassment warning.
In an emotional witness statement, the 30-year-old victim told a court she was receiving counselling and had considered suicide.
She also disclosed how her life had "changed beyond recognition" and was planning to quit her job and move abroad.
Ghent bombarded the probation officer with 70 emails and text messages in 15 days after the six-month relationship ended in May last year.
Northampton magistrates' court was told that Ghent booked the holiday for the couple after they had split up and then turned up at her work on July 18 last year.
He admitted harassing his ex-girlfriend but was handed a ten-week suspended prison sentence last week.
He was also given a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim and ordered to pay the victim £750 compensation as well as £135 costs.
Sentencing Ghent, from Tamworth, Staffs., Deputy District Judge Elizabeth Harte branded the former goalkeeper a "true stalker".
"This was an exceptionally unpleasant case of true stalking behaviour. This is exactly the kind of behaviour that this law was designed to combat," she said.
"I have been made aware of the very profound effect that this behaviour has had on the victim's life.
"This is not the first time you have been convicted of an offence like this and you have a previous record that shows you have engaged in this type of behaviour before. If you fail to moderate your behaviour, you will go to prison for a long time."
Julia Barnett, prosecuting, told the court Ghent had been "very controlling" during the couple's turbulent relationship.
In 2006, Ghent was jailed for three months for attacking and then stalking his then girlfriend Maria Morris.
He kicked her in the stomach when she was pregnant with their child and throttled her because he didn't like the way she decorated the Christmas tree.
Ghent frightened the mother-of-two into staying with him by threatening to slit her mum's throat if she left and smashed her windscreen if she tried to get in her car.
- Telegraph
Matthew Ghent, 32, a former goalkeeper for Aston Villa and England's youth teams, booked the break after the couple ended their six-month relationship.
Ghent, who posted pictures of himself online in a bath full of £20 notes, bombarded the probation officer with emails and text messages after she refused to accompany him
He only left when her concerned colleagues threatened to phone the police, who had already given Ghent a harassment warning.
In an emotional witness statement, the 30-year-old victim told a court she was receiving counselling and had considered suicide.
She also disclosed how her life had "changed beyond recognition" and was planning to quit her job and move abroad.
Ghent bombarded the probation officer with 70 emails and text messages in 15 days after the six-month relationship ended in May last year.
Northampton magistrates' court was told that Ghent booked the holiday for the couple after they had split up and then turned up at her work on July 18 last year.
He admitted harassing his ex-girlfriend but was handed a ten-week suspended prison sentence last week.
He was also given a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim and ordered to pay the victim £750 compensation as well as £135 costs.
Sentencing Ghent, from Tamworth, Staffs., Deputy District Judge Elizabeth Harte branded the former goalkeeper a "true stalker".
"This was an exceptionally unpleasant case of true stalking behaviour. This is exactly the kind of behaviour that this law was designed to combat," she said.
"I have been made aware of the very profound effect that this behaviour has had on the victim's life.
"This is not the first time you have been convicted of an offence like this and you have a previous record that shows you have engaged in this type of behaviour before. If you fail to moderate your behaviour, you will go to prison for a long time."
Julia Barnett, prosecuting, told the court Ghent had been "very controlling" during the couple's turbulent relationship.
In 2006, Ghent was jailed for three months for attacking and then stalking his then girlfriend Maria Morris.
He kicked her in the stomach when she was pregnant with their child and throttled her because he didn't like the way she decorated the Christmas tree.
Ghent frightened the mother-of-two into staying with him by threatening to slit her mum's throat if she left and smashed her windscreen if she tried to get in her car.
- Telegraph
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