'He is still obsessed with her': Leeds stalker sent back to jail over Facebook threats to his ex-girlfriend on the day he was released from prison

Steven Austin was returned to jail after his barrister told a court that he was still obsessed with the woman and "cannot help himself".

Austin was given a ten-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to breaching a restraining order.

Leeds Crown Court heard it is his seventh criminal conviction for obsessive behaviour towards the woman in the past two years.

Heather Gilmore, prosecuting, said Austin was released from prison on February 10 this year after serving a 54-week prison sentence for harassment.

Later that day Austin commented on a picture of the victim which her brother had posted on Facebook, saying: "Tell her she's a c***'

The next day Austin sent the victim's mother a Facebook friend request.

He also put a comment on his own Facebook page saying: "Whatever happens, no one f**** me over"

Miss Gilmore said: "The complainant took this as a reference to her."

A day later, Austin sent the victim a friend request from a fake profile.

On February 15 and 16 he tried to call her and sent seven e-mails to her.

The court heard the his former partner felt "afraid, scared and worried about the defendant's behaviour."

Miss Gilmore said the woman had not provided a victim statement to the court.

She added: "She has communicated that she wanted the defendant to get help for his mental health issues and going to prison did not help him."

The court heard the couple had been in a relationship for five years until it ended in August 2018.

The relationship had been good apart from when Austin had been drinking.

After the end of the relationship she applied for a non-molestation order to prevent Austin from contacting her or going near her home in Lofthouse.

He has six previous convictions, dating back to October 2018, for three offences of harassment, one of stalking and one of breaching a non-molestation order.

The court heard details of Austin's previous offending.

In October and November 2018 he sent messages to her on social media and continued to call her until she blocked his number.

Austin then went to her home when he was drunk and shouted through her letter box.

In January and February 2019 he sent between 150 and 200 e-mails.

He sent voicemails saying he was in her garden and threatened to harm her and anyone she was with.

Austin also told her he was not bothered if she showed the messages to the police.

In July last year he sent 110 e-mails and called her 20 times.

Austin told the victim he "was probably the most hated person in the world."

In another message he said: "I told you it won't stop until we are alright."

Rukhshanda Hussain, mitigating, said Austin accepted that he had left the victim frightened by his behaviour.

She added: "He clearly cannot help himself.

"He is learning the hard way.

"His record provides no mitigation and aggravates the offence.

"The sad thing is that all of his offending has been down to his inability to stay out of the complainant's life.

"He admits that he is still obsessed with her and he is in love with her.

"He does now acknowledge that he may suffer from mental health issues and it is something that he may now have to think about addressing."

Judge Simon Phillips QC told Austin he had no option but to send him back to prison.

He said: "The courts have dealt with you in a variety of different ways.

"You have been given opportunities but, unhappily, you have persisted in offending in relation to your former partner.

"She has stated that your actions have left her feeling afraid, scared and worried.

"Not only have you been ruining (the victim's) life, you have been ruining your own life.

"I have no alternative other than to impose an immediate term of imprisonment."