Annika Sands, 41, admitted two counts of stalking causing serious alarm and distress after she could not get over a relationship that lasted “a matter of weeks” had ended
A woman stalked a man around in a gold BMW after she “couldn’t accept that their relationship was over” and he found a new girlfriend.
Annika Sands stalked Bradley McCreath around the Wirral, in Merseyside, and subjected her victim to a campaign of “entrenched and obsessive behaviour” over the course of nearly a year. She was “angered” that her ex found a new partner and went on to harass the couple, forcing them to flee their Cheshire Oaks homes over fears of their safety.
She had previously been handed a “warning” in the form of a court order after being reported to police by three other men who she had short term relationships with. Liverpool Crown Court heard on Thursday that Sands and Bradley met via a dating app in September 2021 and had a “short lived” relationship which lasted “a matter of weeks.”
Arthur Gibson, prosecuting, said: “While he made it clear that he was not looking for any form of long term relationship, Ms Sands wanted that relationship to develop. As a result, he ended it. She, however, was not prepared to accept that.”
Sands’ actions led Bradley to make an initial report to police in November that year, though no further action was taken. The 41-year-old, of Alfred Road in Birkenhead, was then subjected to a stalking protection order in January 2022 following complaints by three other men who she had short-term relationships with, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Mr Gibson told the court: “By the end of January 2022, it must have been abundantly clear to Ms Sands what behaviour constituted stalking and that, when relationships ended, they ended. Mr McCreath did not want anything further to do with her.”
The situation “quietened down” over the next few months until Bradley bumped into Sands in a Morrisons Daily store close to his home on May 15 that year leading him to ignore her and a message she sent him that night. One week later, he was visiting his parents in Irby and, when leaving, was sitting in his parked car at around 12:45am when the defendant drove past him in her gold-coloured BMW M4, which bore a “distinctive” personalised number plate.
Having set off in his car, Sands then overtook Mr McCreath on Thingwall Road after “clearly turning around and driving after him”. He was subsequently travelling along Manor Drive when his ex again drove towards and past him while flashing her headlights.
Bradley detained how “matters escalated” later in the summer of 2022 when he began a new relationship with Corinne Roberts, adding: “It is clear that the defendant was angered by this. She also turned her attentions to Ms Roberts.”
This led to an incident in October when Sands walked past the couple having a coffee at Pret-a-Manger at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet in Ellesmere Port. Upon leaving, they “deliberately walked in the opposite direction” to that which his former partner had taken, although she then “walked past them, staring.”
Days later, Sands sent Corinne a friend request on social media and the court heard it was claimed she searched for her former address using computer systems at Scottish Power, where she was then employed. But this claim was disputed by the defendant.
Bradley was staying at Corinne’s house when Sands was again seen driving around nearby streets. She was ultimately arrested on February 7, at which stage her phone was found to contain details of her ex-boyfriend’s phone numbers and social media accounts, as well as those of his family members and friends.
She was also found to have searched for Bradley’s car registration on Cazoo and looked up Corinee’s past and current employers, as well as downloading pictures of her from social media. While there was said to have been a “strong suspicion” that she had placed a tracking device on her former partner’s vehicle, there was ultimately said to be “no actual evidence to support the allegation”.
Mr Gibson added: “As a result of this, both felt compelled to leave their homes. Ms Roberts owned her property and had an emotional attachment to it, because she inherited it from her late father. She has had to move well out of the area. She does not feel safe.”
Of the impact on Mr McCreath, Mr Gibson said: “Effectively, his whole working and social life was affected. He gave up the gym. His relationship with his father deteriorated. She would often appear at places where they were working.
“It was persistent over a long period. There were, we say, elements of planning and elements designed to cause distress. Clearly, very serious distress was caused to both victims. They have both had to make considerable changes to their lifestyles to avoid contact.”
Sands admitted two counts of stalking causing serious alarm and distress. Appearing in the dock wearing glasses and a black jacket over a blue shirt, she was handed an 18-month imprisonment suspended for two years and restraining orders banning her from contacting Mr McCreath and Ms Roberts for six years.
With Sands said to have a monthly income of £3,000 but expenditure of £2,907 due to debts totalling £16,000, she was told to pay court costs of £700 at a rate of £50 per month. Sentencing, Judge Anil Murray said: “I am told you had warnings in the past about your behaviour, which meant that you should have known better. I make it clear that I treat you as someone of previous good character.
“You could not accept that the relationship was over, and you misbehaved towards him in a significant way. He then formed a new relationship. You clearly felt jealousy towards her. She was in a relationship with the person that you wanted be in a relationship with. She was entirely an innocent party in all of this. Your behaviour towards her was worrying and lasted for about four months.”
The judge continued: “If you contact them in the next two years, you will be in breach of this order. It is almost certain that you will have this sentence activated. If you contact them in the next six years, you will be breaching the restraining orders, which is highly likely to result in an immediate prison sentence.”