A MAN from Poole who left a woman “living in fear” after he stalked her for months has been put behind bars.
46-year-old Matthew Ashley Foster-Smith from Bournemouth stalked a woman in her 40s who was known to him between May 15 and October 31.
Foster-Smith was spotted hanging outside the victim’s place of work, and he also created further opportunities to encounter her in public and researched her on numerous internet platforms.
He was found guilty of stalking at Bournemouth Crown Court on Tuesday (October 21).
At the same court on Wednesday (October 22), he was also found to have breached a retraining order that was in place involving a different victim.
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He received a two year two month prison sentence after detectives compiled detailed evidence.
Detective Constable Thomas Norman, of Bournemouth CID, said Foster-Smith’s behaviour had an “extremely significant impact on the victim’s life”.
“She continues to live in fear and has described these events as destroying her life,” he said.
“It is very important to us that victims of stalking get the help and support they need – we don’t want anyone to feel scared, distressed or threatened.
“We take stalking seriously and are committed to ensuring offenders such as Foster-Smith are held accountable for their behaviour.”
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