Harrogate man who was ‘obsessed’ with former partner jailed after breaching restraining order

Carl Ingles, 44, made the victim’s life a “complete misery” for years, York Crown Court heard.

Ingles had received community orders and two short prison sentences in the past for previous offences against the victim including battery, smashing up her property and harassment.

He was jailed for two years today after he admitted two breaches of a lifetime restraining order.

Prosecutor Lily Wildman said that Ingles bombarded the woman with “threatening” and abusive phone calls and text messages between March 31 and April 12.

He breached the order again on September 5 following a court appearance the day before.

Ingles, of Kent Road, Harrogate, had appeared at the Crown Court on September 4 when he was bailed with restrictions including a prohibition not to contact the victim.

However, the following day she was at a hospital appointment when she noticed a message on her phone from Ingles which read: “I’m sorry about yesterday in the Crown court – you looked beautiful yesterday and you look beautiful today.”

“She told him to leave her alone (but) then the defendant approached her inside (a restaurant in York),” added Ms Wildman.

Ingles and the victim had been in a relationship for about nine years until 2017 when the original restraining order was imposed after Ingles was convicted of assaulting her.

Since then, there had been five breaches of the order before the latest transgressions.

Ms Wildman said that Ingles had three previous convictions for battery against the victim.

He had 12 offences on his record including harassing the same victim and damaging her property.

Ms Wildman said that Ingles had attacked her on “several occasions” in 2017 which led to the order being imposed, but he breached it within months.

His last breach was in August last year when he was given a two-week jail sentence.

Defence barrister Steven Garth said that Ingles, a father-of-two, was working in a “responsible” position at Boots Opticians in Harrogate at the time of his arrest.

“He fears that he may have now lost that job,” added Mr Garth.

“Had he not had these feelings and this obsession (with) this (victim), no doubt he would have lived a respectable and law-abiding life.”

He said although the relationship ended in 2017, Ingles deludedly believed that he and the victim were still an item by 2021.

Recorder Dafydd Enoch KC said the optician worker appeared to have “zero insight” into his “persistent” harassing of the victim.

“It’s been going on for years,” he added.

“(The victim) is absolutely at the end of her tether.”

He said Ingles had “made (the victim’s) life a complete misery (and) it has been interspersed with violence”.

“She is worried sick every time she goes where he might be,” added Mr Enoch.

“She lives in fear of the defendant.”

Mr Enoch told Ingles: “For a considerable number of years you have been fixated on your ex-partner.

"The relationship appeared to work for a while but ended in violence on your part on several occasions in 2017.

“There were multiple incidents of violence resulting in restraining orders which you breached from day one.

"You had absolutely no regard for court orders whatsoever because (of) your obsession.”

He described Ingles’ behaviour towards the victim as “scary” and “disturbing” and that she had been caused “very serious distress”.

He added: “It is crystal clear you have been a presence in the life of this lady which causes (her) constant fear.

“You are not getting the message from the courts for some reason, Mr Ingles, and so the court is left with very little option.

Ingles will serve half of the two-year jail sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence.

He will remain subject to the restraining order for an indefinite period.