A stalker who breached his restraining order is today living in Norfolk after being excluded from Ipswich.

IPSWICH: A stalker who breached his restraining order is today living in Norfolk after being excluded from Ipswich.

David Foster, previously of Samuel Court, Ipswich, was found guilty of flouting the order by contacting his victim via text message using a friend's phone.

The 59-year-old alcoholic, who appeared at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court, pleaded not guilty to three charges - one of harassment and two of breaching the restraining order.

He was cleared of harassment and one of the breaches but was found guilty of the second breach, which involved sending four text messages on September 21.

Shini Cooksley, prosecuting, claimed after the order was imposed on July 22 this year, Foster, who would typically start drinking early in the morning, continued to harass his victim, approaching her car and intimidating her.

From August 1 to September 28, the victim reported seven instances to police where Foster, knowing her route to work, would appear, sometimes leaning and peering towards her car as she drove past.

Giving evidence, his victim said: “I feel David did this to intimidate me. I felt scared.

“My greatest worry is he will walk across and try to get into my car to do something to me.

“I am always looking over my shoulder. I just want this to end.”

The court heard Foster was arrested on September 28 inside the excluded area in Civic Drive.

Foster told the court: “She says she has seen me half a dozen times in nine months - it is a small town.”

Foster was found not guilty of harassment and breaching the restraining order by entering the excluded zone.

However, a guilty verdict was returned in respect of breaching the order by sending text messages to his victim.

Foster was sentenced to a three-year community order, with supervision for the duration and he is required to attend an alcohol awareness programme.

Magistrates excluded him from entering Ipswich save to collect his property with the assistance of Suffolk police.

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