Jarrow finance director with an ‘absolutely atrocious history’ of stalking bombarded his ex
A South Tyneside finance director with an “absolutely atrocious history” of stalking bombarded his ex-girlfriend with phone calls after she dumped him after two years, a court heard.
Keith Martin, 47, called her 11 times at midnight on Saturday, November 15, from an unidentified number but she recognised him when he spoke twice.
Martin, of Bede Burn Road, Jarrow, made another 60 calls later that day, prosecutor Emily Hunt told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.
She also revealed he has four previous convictions for stalking or harassment of other women, being jailed in 2020 for one.
Ms Hunt said one of his convictions came from him entering a previous girlfriend’s property while armed with an axe.
Martin, a dad, pleaded guilty to a charge of stalking involving fear of violence through calls, texts, emails and voicemails at Blyth, in Northumberland, and Jarrow, between Sunday, September 28 and November 15.
District Judge Zoe Passfield ordered a pre-sentence report and remanded Martin into custody to appear at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 8.
She told him: “You have an absolutely atrocious history of these kind of offences.”
Outlining the case, Ms Hunt said: “The defendant and the victim are ex-partners. The victim decided to end their two-year relationship on September 28 after two years.
“Since then, he has made an excessive amount of calls and emails.
“He was arrested on October 27 and was released on October 28 on bail conditions including not to contact.
“On November 15 at midnight there were 11 phone calls from the defendant from a non-caller ID. She answered a couple and recognised his voice.
“He asked her who she was sleeping with. There were a further 60 calls from the defendant.”
David Forrester, defending, said Martin had sought professional help around his mental health and some of the contact with his ex-partner was mutual.
But he conceded the calls made at midnight to the complainant, while on police bail, were aggravating factors.
Mr Forrester added: “He is the finance director of a local business with 200 staff. His employer at work describes him as integral to the business.
“There’s been no contact between them physically. I accept, absolutely, that the last set of phone calls were when he was on bail.”