Both stalking and harassment are offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and these men were convicted for a crime that inflicts trauma on their victims.
One of the most shocking recent cases involved a man sentenced to 13 years and three months in prison for serious stalking offences against a Watford woman he barely knew, along with other related crimes. Karl Chads, 41, was convicted at Wood Green Crown Court and placed on the sex offenders register for life. He was also given an indefinite restraining order banning him from specific locations and contact with individuals connected to the case.
The court heard that Chads’ obsessive behaviour escalated over time, bombarding the victim with unwanted messages, letters, and gifts. He broke into her home, stole personal items, and made violent threats against her and her partner, leaving the woman terrified at home and work. Police arrested him after catching him breaking into her property with condoms in his possession.
Also in October, a 43-year-old stalker, Robert Carlin, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after threatening a woman online, breaching an existing restraining order against him. Despite previously serving a 14-month sentence for stalking the same victim, Carlin resumed his harassment shortly after his release, between January 9 and March 18 this year.
Using anonymous Facebook and Instagram accounts, he posted disparaging and threatening messages about the woman, uploaded her photos, and even made her address public. His threats escalated to alarming statements such as, “I know where you live, and I’ll be seeing you face to face soon” and “Once I’ve done with you, that face will need a plastic bag to cover it.” The victim alerted police, who traced the social media accounts to email addresses registered to Carlin.
Here are the faces of men convicted of stalking and sentenced to prison this year.

1. Karl Chads
Karl Chads, 41, was convicted at Wood Green Crown Court and placed on the sex offenders register for life. The court heard that Chads’ obsessive behaviour escalated over time, bombarding the victim with unwanted messages, letters, and gifts. He broke into her home, stole personal items, and made violent threats against her and her partner, leaving the woman terrified at home and work. | Hertfordshire police

2. Robert Carlin
Robert Carlin, 43, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after threatening a woman online, breaching an existing restraining order against him. Despite previously serving a 14-month sentence for stalking the same victim, Carlin resumed his harassment shortly after his release, between January 9 and March 18 this year. Using anonymous Facebook and Instagram accounts, he posted disparaging and threatening messages about the woman, uploaded her photos, and even made her address public. His threats escalated to alarming statements such as, “I know where you live, and I’ll be seeing you face to face soon” and “Once I’ve done with you, that face will need a plastic bag to cover it.” The victim alerted police, who traced the social media accounts to email addresses registered to Carlin. | Nottinghamshire Police

3. Adama Suktuna-Waggeh
A 28-year-old man, Adama Suktuna-Waggeh, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for stalking and assaulting a woman in Chelmsford. Over a 10-month period, from November 2022 to September 2023, Suktuna-Waggeh repeatedly followed the victim, made unwanted sexual advances, and harassed her despite her clear rejections. His behavior escalated to the point where the victim had to alter her daily routines to protect herself, including avoiding her usual commute times. Suktuna-Waggeh would frequently follow her home from her workplace and, on multiple occasions, wait for her on the train, making inappropriate gestures and comments. The harassment culminated in September 2023, when Suktuna-Waggeh followed the victim home and confronted her outside her residence. After she sought help from a security guard, he reacted by slapping her hand and taking her phone when she attempted to photograph him. The victim reported the incident to the police, prompting an investigation by the Crime and Public Protection Investigations Hub. Investigators swiftly gathered evidence and charged Suktuna-Waggeh with stalking involving serious alarm and distress and assault by beating. Initially denying the charges, he pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial. | Essex Police

4. Jordan Hancock
Leicestershire Police has urged victims of stalking and harassment to report incidents following the sentencing of Jordan Hancock, 25, to 31 months in prison for stalking. Over an eight-month period, Hancock harassed his victim by bombarding her with messages and videos across multiple social media platforms, often using fake profiles. He exhibited threatening and controlling behaviour, demanding to know her whereabouts and who she was with. His actions escalated when he began visiting her home and causing damage to her car. The victim reported Hancock's behaviour to police in October last year, leading to an investigation. Despite this, he continued his campaign of harassment. Hancock, of Grantham Road, Humberstone, was charged with stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm and distress. At Leicester Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced to prison. A restraining order was also issued, prohibiting him from contacting the victim. | Leicestershire Police