A married stalker who hacked his mistress’s emails after the breakdown of their fling is a former IT director for the Metropolitan Police.

Fringford man James Houseman-Heard, 43, was given a 16 month suspended sentence at Oxford Crown Court this week after he admitted stalking the woman after their brief relationship broke down in November 2020.

He was eventually arrested on February 6 last year, after the victim’s neighbour caught him prowling around outside the woman’s Ambrosden home.

Checks of the IT expert’s work computer and other digital devices showed he’d hacked his former mistress’s computer, tried to get into her social media accounts and had also searched the internet to check the law on various offences – including criminal damage – before going on to commit them.

READ MORE: Suspended sentence for stalker

In a statement, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police confirmed that Houseman-Heard had been attached to the London force’s digital policing team.

The former director resigned from the Met in November 2021, nine months after he was arrested by Thames Valley Police for stalking.

Sentencing him to 16 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years on Thursday, Recorder of Oxford Judge Ian Pringle QC said: “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 was given an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting the woman.

Welcoming the sentence, Det Con Tania Wasilewski-Norman, based at Didcot police station, said: “I would like to commend the bravery of the victim in this case who has continued to support an investigation, even though it has brought back traumatic memories and events.

“The victim trusted Houseman-Heard and he abused that trust by stalking her and continuing to infiltrate her life.

“Thames Valley Police is committed to bringing domestic abusers and stalkers to justice and protecting those most vulnerable.

“I would also like to commend the initial investigating officer, PC Megan Abraham, who gathered vital evidence, which ensured Houseman-Heard was charged.

“I hope in time the victim can learn to trust and feel safe in her own home again, and I urge anyone who is suffering from similar circumstances to contact Thames Valley Police.”

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.