Jail for Newbury stalker Ryan Barton, who defied courts once too often

A RELENTLESS stalker has been jailed after repeatedly defying court orders designed to protect his victim.

He was not helped by character references handed in – because, the judge noted, they tried to blame the complainant.

In the dock at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, September 9, was Ryan Barton.

The 40-year-old, of Queens Road, Newbury, had denied breaching a non-molestation order and suspended prison sentence order – but he was convicted following a trial.

Leandra Smith, prosecuting, said Barton had posted abusive and threatening messages on his public Facebook page, branding his victim “pathetic”, a “psycho” and her behaviour “disgusting”.

He added: “The courts are about to find out the truth – I hope you’re ready for that.”

Barton also has previous convictions for 43 offences, many of which were committed on bail.

Ms Smith said Barton had been forbidden by the courts from contacting his victim or from referring to her on social media and was subject to a 10-year restraining order at the time of his latest offending.

Barton had denied the the breach but was convicted and committed to Reading Crown Court in custody for Tuesday’s sentence hearing.

He also has previous convictions for 43 offences, including nine counts of driving while disqualified, stalking and breaching previous court orders.

His former partner said in a victim impact statement said she suffers from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of Barton’s relentless stalking.

She added: “I feel like my life is still controlled by him; he still re-offends and doesn’t leave me alone.

“I live with constant fear and apprehension… I just want him to leave me alone – completely.”

Martin Hynes, defending, mentioned several character references which had been handed to the court.

But Judge Michael Roques interjected, stating he would disregard some of these because they indulged in victim-blaming.

He pointed out: “At least three of them attacked the complainant... one said: ‘I neither recognise nor believe any of the behaviour attributed to [Barton].”

Mr Hynes added: “This has a complicated history.”

He conceded that his client had difficulty understanding rules and said he had suffered a “mental health crisis”.

Mr Hynes urged Judge Roques to adopt the sentencing suggestion contained in a pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service, although its contents were not divulged in open court.

However, Judge Roques said: “The [sentencing] guidelines make it pretty clear I’ve got to activate the suspended sentence.”

He pointed out that Barton’s latest offending happened just six weeks after that sentence was handed down.

Judge Roques told Barton: “You were prohibited from posting about [your victim] on the internet; yet on February 14 this year you did exactly that.”

He activated the suspended sentence in full and added to it, sentencing Barton to 20 months imprisonment in total.

Half of that will be spent locked up and the remainder on licence in the community.

The time he has spent in custody on remand will be deducted from the sentence.

In addition, Judge Roques made Barton subject to a 10-year restraining order forbidding him from contact his victim in any way, or from posting about her on social media.