Cocaine-fuelled stalker called ex partner 100 times a day and smashed up her Leeds home
A jealous and cocaine-fuelled ex has been jailed for stalking his former partner, calling her up to 100 times a day.
The woman later said the behaviour of Daniel Howsam almost became normal after he refused to leave her alone, would demand to know whom she was seeing and would turn up at her home at all hours.
The 39-year-old roof worker even came to her home when she was not in and smashed up her television.
He was jailed at Leeds Crown Court after admitting a charge of stalking involving serious alarm or distress and criminal damage.
Prosecutor Zanisha Herbert said the pair had a 17-year relationship and had children together, but Howsam being convicted of assaulting the woman in 2017.
A restraining order was imposed but he breached it twice in 2021 and 2022.
The woman finally ended the relationship in July of this year, but he would continue to call her up to 100 times a day and leave messages.
On July 24, she was in the garden of her Leeds home having a cigarette but heard a noise. After going back inside, Howsam was caught on the doorbell camera. He told her he wanted to speak with her, but she refused and called the police.
The next day the woman was away, but Howsam came to the house and the woman was sent an alert from the doorbell camera, which showed him peering through the window.
He entered through the back door and punched her TV, causing damage, and smashed a chair. He later punched the doorbell camera.
Ms Herbert said over the coming days he would continue to call the woman around 50 times a day, leaving dozens of voice mails.
He would switch between apologising and calling her names.
On August 15, at around 10pm, he once again turned up at her home and parked outside, shouting in her direction. She called the police and he left.
He later called her and demanded to know who she was with in the house.
Howsam, of no fixed address, was arrested and gave a no-comment interview to officers. He has 20 previous convictions for 47 offences. He has been held on remand since his arrest.
Mitigating, Michael Collins told the court: “He knows taking cocaine had a detrimental impact on his behaviour.
“He recognised that his behaviour was appalling, entitled and selfish. The period on remand has been sobering.”
He said that Howsam has worked lined up for when he is released.
Judge Richard Mansell KC told Howsam: “It’s clear you think this is all down to cocaine use, which plainly it is not.
“It requires an examination of your attitude towards your offending.”
He jailed him for nine months.