A STALKER bombarded his pregnant ex-partner with hundreds of unwanted messages and even resorted to live-streaming her personal details over the internet.

Mark Long, 49, terrorised his pregnant former partner by sending text messages and emails, making phone calls and leaving voicemail messages.

After their relationship ended in April 2020, he embarked on a campaign of harassment.

Ipswich Crown Court heard he made threats to damage her property and told her he would “talk to the authorities” about her benefits.

Daniel Setter, prosecuting, said: “He tells her she is going to get what’s coming to her and in another message says he hopes she becomes suicidal.

“There is reference to him saying ‘he had the knives ready’ and ‘the consequences of what he would do would haunt her for the rest of her life’.”

The victim was in touch with the police about the messages and Long was arrested.

But he breached his bail conditions by contacting her again.

The court heard on one occasion he took to the live-streaming platform Twitch, revealing her intimate personal details to viewers.

Long, of no fixed address, admitted stalking involving serious alarm or distress.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she had to undergo therapy as a result of the harassment.

Donal Lawler, mitigating, said his client, who has no previous convictions, had been in a “downward spiral”, battling homelessness and mental health problems.

He said things had improved with the intervention of a charity, which had secured medical and therapeutic help for Long.

A worker for the charity told the court Long is living in emergency accommodation until a permanent address is secured for him.

Judge Emma Peters elected to suspend a 20 month prison sentence for two years, imposing “onerous” conditions.

Long must complete a programme aimed at improving offending behaviour, 180 hours of unpaid work and a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

He will remain the subject of a restraining order for five years, keeping him away from the victim.

Long was also banned from entering Essex for 12 months.

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