South Shields man jailed after harassing woman with homophobic messages

Magistrates imprisoned Ryan Whittington for more than four months after deciding the offence was serious because it was “aggravated by the defendant’s record of previous offending”.

Whittington, who turns 32 on December 3, pleaded guilty to one charge of harassment after sending his victim “a number of homophobic electronic messages” on November 20.

As well as an 18-week jail term, he was also ordered by South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court to abide by the terms of a five-year restraining order.

This forbids him from contacting his victim either directly or indirectly, except through an approved third party for specific reasons, and from entering a named South Shields street before November 24, 2025.

Whittington, who lives in Belgrave Terrace, South Shields, received credit for his early guilty plea when his sentence was determined by the court.

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