Reports ordered on Rhayader man who harassed ex through TV and Ring doorbell camera
Reports have been ordered on a Powys man who harassed his ex-girlfriend by speaking to her through her ring doorbell camera and logging into her television to post offensive messages
Over a month in January, Jamie Hughes bombarded his ex-partner with emails, followed her around Llandrindod Wells and threatened to slash her car tyres, leaving her filled with ‘anxiety and dread’.
Following their break-up, Hughes moved out of their home but he would access her doorbell via his phone and try and speak to her.
He accessed her television while she was in the house and posted obscene messages on the screen, leaving her fearing that she was being watched in her own home.
The 30 year-old admitted a charge of harassment without violence, when he appeared at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 3.
Hughes of Maes Brenin was accused of sending inappropriate messages, unwanted and threatening emails and following his ex-partner from December 4 2024 until January 29 2025.
Prosecuting, Mr James Sprunks said Hughes was reported to the police for harassment after the relationship ended on January 4.
“She asked him to remove himself from the app and give her the log-in details, but he refused. He would contact her through the camera, asking to speak to her.
“He would ask her ‘Who you seeing,” and told her ‘I know you had a lad round last night.”
“She also employed him for a week after the break up but he kept contacting her about personal matters so she could no longer employ him.
“He would send her abusive and urgent ‘call me’ emails. She repeatedly told him that she did not want any contact from him.
“On one occasion she accidently ordered a take away and used his bank account details, she agreed to pay it back on condition that he gave her the log-in details. He said if she did not pay it back he would slash her tyres.
“He would also access her tv through an app and there were occasions when it would randomly turn itself off and he left offensive messages on it.
“She would go to work at a hotel and would see him walking past, he would then send an email asking who she was meeting. He followed her in a car park once, circled the car park and then went to find her.
“She blocked the defendant on all platforms, but she could not on email and he accessed her Facebook account and blocked some of her friends and family.
“She said she always feels he is watching her through video cameras and that he has an obsession about her and wants to remain in close contact with her to remain in control.”
Mr Sprunks read out a victim impact statement in which the woman said the harassment had had an absolutely detrimental effect on her mental health. She said it had caused her the worst anxiety she had ever experienced in her life but she hoped one day that she can recover from the stalking harassment she has been subjected to.
Magistrates were told Hughes has three offences in his history in 2011,2012 and 2015.
Mitigating, Ms Michelle Thomas said he lives with his elderly grandmother, whom he cares for and she asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, as he has not been in trouble since 2015.
Magistrates adjourned the case until June 24 for reports to be made. Hughes was given conditional bail, the conditions being not to contact the prosecution witness, not to approach her and not to enter her place of work and any address occupied by her.
