Pestering ex tormented Leeds woman just hours after appearing in court
Former partner refused to leave woman alone despite being handed restraining order.
A persistent ex who tormented his former partner travelled to her home and shouted through the letterbox just hours after appearing in court for harassment.
Lee Baxter was told he will “simply not learn” by refusing to adhere to a restraining order, while the victim said she felt she was “living in a nightmare”.
He was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting three new breaches of the order.
The couple were in a relationship for three years until 2023 and he abusive towards her, the court heard.
He was given a 10-year restraining order in May 2024 after a vicious assault on the woman.
Baxter, 43, appeared at Leeds Magistrates’ Court in early February this year for breaching the order and received a community order.
But later that same day he went back to her home and was shouting through the letterbox.
Over the coming days he emailed her, sent messages, rang her 14 times in a day and accused of having another man in the house.
He was arrested but refused to comment during his police interview.
In a heartfelt victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said she felt like a prisoner and “unprotected” by the restraining order.
She said the relationship had been “toxic” from the start, that he refused to listen to the police or the courts and even rang her while he was in prison.
She added: “I’m living a nightmare.”
Baxter, of Ravensknowle Road, Huddersfield, has eight previous convictions for nine offences.
Mitigating, Christopher Dunn conceded: “If he continues with this course of conduct, he will get ever-increasing sentences.”
However, he said the message was finally “getting through” to him, adding: “He wants the court and the complainant to know he is truly sorry.”
He said before being held on remand at HMP Leeds, Baxter had set up a catering business.
Mr Dunn said Baxter was not in good health and had suffered two strokes.
Judge Ray Singh told Baxter: “You know exactly what the terms are of this order and you have constantly breached them.
“The courts have tried everything with you. The only respite your ex partner can receive is when you are in prison.
“The impact on her has been immense.”
He jailed Baxter for two years and gave him a new, indefinite-length restraining order.