Photo Credit: Sussex Police

A controlling stalker who took pictures inside a woman’s home has been sentenced.

John Harris caused serious alarm and distress to the victim, a woman known to him, in Crawley.

On one occasion he had taken a hammer to her address.

It followed a period of controlling behaviour where he demanded to see messages on her phone and on social media, as well as constant knowledge of her whereabouts.

Harris, 41, also bombarded her with unwanted messages and contact.

“I lived every day watching over my shoulder,” the victim said.

At Lewes Crown Court on 28 April, Harris, of Pound Hill, Crawley, was jailed for three years and three months in total and was put under a restraining order not to contact her.

He was found guilty of stalking causing serious alarm or distress and coercive control and admitted possession of cannabis at an earlier hearing.

The court was told about how Harris was arrested in March last year, following his contact with the victim who he met in 2024.

The victim described how she feared repercussions if she did not grant him access to her phone.

Harris would regularly degrade and abuse her, the court was told and also monitored her movements and routine.

Then later, the victim reported how Harris would turn up unannounced in public places where she was attending events.

The victim said it left her feeling afraid even in her own home and feeling “trapped and hopeless”.

“I feel like a different person,” she said. “This type of abuse leaves invisible scars. I am speaking out for myself, but in the hope that it helps others who have gone through similar abuse.”

Speaking after the case Detective Constable Rachel Corke said: “I commend the victim for coming forward to report her experience to the police.

“Harris’s behaviour was very alarming, letting himself into the victim’s address while she was away on one occasion, and turning up with a hammer on another occasion.

“Preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a priority for Sussex Police, and we are determined to get justice for victims.

“I would encourage anyone who has experienced abuse and stalking to report it to the police.”

More information about how to report stalking, domestic abuse, and coercive control to us is available on the Sussex Police website.

Further information about help and support available for victims is available on the Safe:Space Sussex website.

The Run Gatwick half marathon and 5K will be taking place in Crawley this Sunday.

Starting on Southgate avenue the route will see participant run through Crawley, past Gatwick Airport, up to Charlwood and back down, finishing at Southgate park.

There will be road closures in place and residents are advised to plan travel times around the diversions.

Voters will be heading to the poll today to vote in Local Elections.

In Surrey, residents will be voting for councillors on two unitary authorities which will replace the county, district and borough councils from April 2027.

In Sussex all 120 seats across the two county councils are up for grabs while there also partial borough elections for Crawley.

Polls open at 7am and will close at 10pm tonight. Voter are reminder to bring ID with them.

Results will come out over night and into tomorrow.

A coroner has ruled the death of a 12-year-old girl after she was hit by a falling branch while playing on a rope swing was an accident.

Brooke Wiggins died in November 2024 after a large tree branch in Banstead, snapped off and crushed her.

The inquest had heard Surrey County Council had failed to inspect the tree months earlier and had not carried out work that could have made inspecting safety issues easier.

But Assistant Coroner Ivor Collett dismissed the criticism and said Brooke’s death was a “shocking accident”.

Terence Herbert, SCC’s chief executive, said he extended his “sincere condolences” to Brooke’s family and friends.

The graves of two soldiers who died in World War One have been identified in Belgium.

The identifies of the unnamed soldier were named by the ministry of defences as Lance Corporal William Voice MM, from Horsham, and Lance Corporal Lionel Weller Sandell from Worthing.

Lance Corporal Voice was killed in repeated shelling in August of 1917 and Lance Corporal Weller was killed in open warfare in 1918.

Services were held for both soldier on Tuesday.