Rudgwick man convicted of stalking and harassment after falsely accusing victim of being a sex offender

Richard Mitchell, 58, of Foxholes, Rudgwick, appeared at Hove Crown Court on Wednesday, March 4 charged with two counts of stalking causing serious alarm or distress and one count of harassment, according to Sussex Police.

A spokesman said since January 2018, Mitchell would go out of his way to drive past his victims’ house, at a slower than walking pace, multiple times per day.

He added: “He would shout abuse at the victims and posted photographs of one of them to Facebook stating they were a sex offender, which was categorically incorrect.”

On one occasion, Mitchell followed one of his victims in his car as they walked back from their local shop.

Police said Mitchell mounted the pavement and drove into them which resulted in the victim falling into a bush.

The spokesman added: “Mitchell went as far as cutting up an old washing machine into thousands of pieces and dumping it on his victim’s front garden.”

Mitchell was arrested and his mobile phone seized, on which there were a number of photographs and evidence of his offending, according to police.

One photograph showed the thousands of tiny pieces of scrap metal which had been dumped on the front garden outside the victim’s house.

The spokesman said there were multiple photos of friends’ and family’s vehicles parked outside the victims’ address who they were visiting.

He added: “There was also a photo of offensive graffiti sprayed on the victim’s garage door which Mitchell had done.”

Mitchell was charged with two counts of stalking causing serious alarm or distress and one count of harassment, said police.

The spokesman added: “At Hove Crown Court on Wednesday, March 4, judge Paul Tain sentenced Mitchell to two years in prison suspended for 18 months, 10 days rehabilitation order, £140 victim surcharge and an indefinite restraining order protecting three victims.”

Investigating officer Oliver Robinson said: “Mitchell made the lives of his victims miserable and he showed little regard to the effect he was having on them.

“They had to change many aspects of their day-to-day lives in efforts to avoid Mitchell.

“The indefinite restraining order will give the victims peace of mind they will no longer be harassed by the subject.

“I hope this sentence goes some way to enable the victims’ to move on from this two-year ordeal.”