A man who admitted stalking a woman for six months was sentenced to two months behind bars yesterday.

Magistrate Auralee Cassidy said Mark Steede’s actions were “nothing short of abusive” and, despite four years passing since the offences were committed and expressions of remorse from the defendant, the custody threshold had been crossed.

She sentenced Steede to six months in prison but suspended four months of that sentence for a period of two years.

Jerome Lynch KC, who represented Steede at the hearing, filed a notice of appeal shortly after the sentence was delivered but Ms Cassidy declined to hear an application for bail.

Steede, from Warwick, pleaded guilty last November to stalking a woman between March 31 and September 21, 2022.

The court heard that he sent her hundreds of “accusatory, emotionally manipulative and threatening” messages and repeatedly attempted to call her after she had attempted to break contact with him

Prosecutors said Steede also confronted her in person on several occasions in a “frightening” way that made her feel “threatened and unsafe”.

In a string of incidents, Steede allegedly forced himself into her home and only left after smashing her phone, followed her to hotels and restaurants and shouted threats at her in a public park.

Paula Tyndale, for the Crown, said Steede displayed “obsessive, threatening and controlling behaviours” and argued for an immediate custodial sentence.

Mr Lynch accepted that some of the messages that were sent were “unpleasant on any view”, but argued that four years had passed since the offences took place.

He added that given that given the passage of time and Steede’s guilty plea, a conditional discharge would be appropriate.

Steede himself told the court that he accepted full responsibility for his actions and the distress that he caused, expressing remorse for what he had done.

He told the court that the offences took place during the most painful period of his life and that he had been in counselling since June 2023.

He said: “I am genuinely committed to ensuring that nothing like this ever happens again. I have reflected deeply on my behaviour and its impact.”

Ms Cassidy said that in addition to the deluge of messages and calls over a period of months, Steede had confronted the victim in person on multiple occasions.

She said that while Steede had pleaded guilty and had sought counselling, a conditional discharge was not in the best interest of the community in all of the circumstances.

Ms Cassidy said: “The court is satisfied that a clear and resounding message must be sent that such behaviour will be met with an immediate custodial sentence and a period of imprisonment.”

However, she noted the “extreme delay” in the case, which she said warranted a partial suspension of the sentence.

In addition to the period of imprisonment, she ordered Steede to serve two years of probation, including conditions mandating therapeutic treatment.

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