Northampton stalker who harrassed wife for two months before uploading intimate videos as final insult jailed

A Northampton stalker who harassed his wife for months after they broke up before uploading intimate videos of her as a final attempt at humiliating her has been jailed.

Lee Childs, from Headlands, could not accept it when his partner of more than 10 years told him she wanted to end their relationship towards the end of 2019.

But rather than respect her wishes, the 53-year-old embarked on a two-month campaign of stalking her on an almost daily basis.

Alongside hundreds of texts, Childs wrote dozens of incendiary messages about her on his Facebook profile, and even picked through years of her old Facebook pictures to leave taunting comments on them.

At his sentencing at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (February 28), the judge heard how the harassment ranged from the bizarre to the frightening.

His victim sat in court and listened to his sentencing. Although the Chronicle & Echo has not named the victim, she has bravely waived her right to anonymity to ensure that the full details of the case, and the identity of Childs, could be published. Without this waiver, Childs identity could not have been made public.

The court heard that Childs waited outside the house she was staying, poured coffee on her car seat and attempted to track her using her mobile phone.

He let the air out of her tyres at night, took photos of her in a car park when she wasn't looking, and even insinuated on Facebook that he was planning to follow and record her movements with a drone.

His Honour Judge Michael Fowler said: "Your far more sinister activities were intended to cause distress and fear, and make her believe you might be anywhere or might be close by.

"You let her know you were unpredictable and vindictive."

But the final, most harmful acts were still to come - and were set up to make their impact even after Childs was arrested.

The 53-year-old was taken into custody for drug matters on December 31. But in the days that followed, scheduled posts appeared on his business' Facebook page.

They were links to pornographic websites, where he had uploaded intimate videos of his victim.

The caption read: "Open, enjoy and share."

The judge said: "To see that as anything other than vindictive and a way to cause significant and extreme distress is impossible.

"It was a campaign that was conducted with the intention of causing maximum distress to your wife."

Childs appeared over video link from prison for his sentencing, who sat shaking his head as his crimes were read out. Childs later pleaded guilty to all charges. He was jailed for 22 months and handed a restraining order that prevents him from contacting his wife for seven years or going within 200 metres of her house.

It is not the first time Childs has been jailed for harassing a former partner - he was jailed in 2013 after he distributed fake business cards advertising "adult services" listing his ex-partner's details. He also sent the business cards to the headmistress of the school attended by the woman's children with a letter saying they had been found attached to trees near the school. When arrested, police found a 14-inch machete in his car. He was jailed for five months.