A married man trawled the internet to check whether he’d be breaking the law – as he stalked his former mistress when their ‘passionate’ affair broke down.

Dad-of-two James Houseman-Heard, 43, bombarded the woman with letters, emails and texts after their fling broke down in November 2020.

He also addressed letters to the woman’s young son saying ‘how amazing’ the boy’s mother was.

When the woman moved into her parents’ house briefly in order to get away from his paranoid attention, Houseman-Heard was seen on CCTV walking past the address on 16 separate occasions.

Although he had not been charged with a trespass offence, the victim described items in her home going missing before they would ‘mysteriously reappear several days later’. A toothbrush went AWOL for three days, while a hairbrush was missing for a week.

She suspected her ex-lover had copied her house keys, although prosecutor Robert Lindsey made it clear that allegation was not part of the Crown’s case.

Matters came to a head on February 6, 2021, when the victim was at home in Ambrosden with a friend and the doorbell kept ringing. When she opened the door there was no one there.

Pondering whether local schoolchildren could be playing a game of ‘knock down ginger’, she asked her neighbour if he had had similar knocks at the door.

He hadn’t but, taking the initiative, sat in his car and waited to see if the mystery knockers would return.

Oxford Mail:

Oxford Crown Court file image Picture: ED NIX

When Houseman-Heard returned, the neighbour challenged the prowling Romeo then called the police. It later transpired the victim’s tyres had been let down.

Interviewed by police, Houseman-Heard claimed the relationship was a ‘loving one’. Checks of his work computer and phone showed he’d hacked her email accounts and made internet searches about the offences he went on to commit – including criminal damage.

Edward Lucas, mitigating, said his client’s wife had stuck by him. “He now realises that woman who stood beside him deserves more than he gave her.”

A psychological report suggested he had undiagnosed ADHD and depressive disorders, which may have contributed to his behaviour.

Houseman-Heard, of Crosslands, Fringford, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to stalking and criminal damage. He had no previous convictions.

Judge Ian Pringle QC sentenced him to 16 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered he pay £425 costs.

“When the relationship broke up at the beginning of November you simply failed to accept that and you behaved in a truly appalling fashion over the course of the next few months in harassing her,” he said.

A restraining order prevents him from contacting the woman until further order. He was given a 12 month conditional discharge for the criminal damage.

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