A convicted stalker has been jailed after breaching a court order designed to protect women from harm.
Ryan Smith, aged 22, violated the order during a routine inspection by members of the Mansfield South Neighbourhood Policing Team in February.
Officers became suspicious after noticing multiple Snapchat notifications from young women on his phone. Two days later, they arrested Smith and brought him into custody.
Smith had been made the subject of a Stalking Protection Order in October 2024, when he received a suspended 16-week prison sentence for stalking a young woman.
The order included a ban on contacting his victim and her family, as well as a requirement to disclose any relationships he was in. He was also prohibited from deleting his browsing history from any internet-connected device.
Following his arrest, further investigation of his mobile phone revealed messages suggesting a relationship he had failed to disclose to officers. A tablet was also found at Smith’s home that he had not declared.
Smith, of Mansfield, later pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a stalking order.
Appearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 13 February, Smith was jailed for six months.
PC Ryan Ward, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“Stalking Protection Orders are an extremely useful tool that is increasingly used to protect the public from harm.
“As Smith has just found out to his cost, the courts take an extremely dim view of those who flout them in this way.
“I hope this outcome serves not only as a reminder to victims about how seriously we take the issue of stalking but also as a warning to others with similar orders about the consequences of ignoring them.”
Nottinghamshire Police obtained 34 Stalking Protection Orders in 2023, which prevent offenders from carrying out specific stalking behaviours.
When an order is made by a magistrates’ court, it can prohibit an offender from contacting a victim or visiting a particular place. Breaching an order can and does result in criminal charges and jail sentences.
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