A senior lawyer has won a restraining order against an ex-boyfriend she called her ‘soulmate’ after a court heard he repeatedly fat-shamed her during their relationship.
Jennifer Riddaway said was left ‘a shadow of my former self’ after being cruelly branded ‘morbidly obese’ by 50-year old James Lawlan.
The conveyancing expert was so hurt by his behaviour that she would book into hotels overnight to avoid him, a court heard.
The emotional abuse left her with a lack of ‘self-worth’ and she suffered bouts of depression as a result.
Ms Riddaway, aged in her forties, eventually called police when twice-married Lawlan placed a GPS tracking device on her car – then told her he knew which hotel she was staying at.
Lawlan, who lives with his mother, later claimed he had only called his ex ‘fat’ as she had called him out over his excessive use of alcohol.
In a statement, ‘heartbroken’ Ms Riddaway – who is head of conveyancing at Dixon Rigby Keogh in Northwich, Cheshire – said she suffered from depression as a result of ‘months and years’ of struggling with Lawlan’s behaviour.
‘Being called morbidly obese and fat all the time was extremely hurtful and impacted my self-worth,’ she said.
‘My colleague said I am a shadow of my former self. This is I believe due to the anxiety caused by James.
‘Never knowing what I would be coming home to I had taken to staying in hotels to avoid going home.
‘I was physically sick when I found out the GPS tracker was on my car. This is the most profound breach of trust I have suffered.
‘I am absolutely heartbroken to have lost what I thought was my soulmate. I am broken.’
At Chester magistrates court, Lawlan – a site operative – pleaded guilty to stalking between August 10 and October 13 of this year.
He was banned from contacting Ms Riddaway for five years and given a community order with unpaid work.
Details of the couple’s relationship were not aired at the hearing.
But Lisa McGuire, prosecuting said it was a case of ‘domestic abuse’ which had caused Ms Riddaway ‘distress’.
‘This was conduct designed to maximise fear and distress,’ she added.
‘This was planned and persistent action over a prolonged period.‘
In mitigation, Lawlan’s solicitor Catherine Higham said: ‘Whilst he does not accept that he has a problem with alcohol he does concede it has affected his relationship and something he needs to work on.’
Sentencing him, Deputy District Judge Imran Hussain told Lawlan that references to Ms Riddaway’s weight amounted to ’emotional abuse’.
‘Stalking is a form of harassment,’ he added.
‘You admit that you placed a tracker in the victim’s vehicle and you were then able to monitor her movements which then explains what the victim described in her statement about your contact and communication with her.
‘On one occasion you knew which hotel she was at. You only had this information because of the lengths you went to to monitor her.
‘It is a sophisticated way to stalk a person. To manage to get a tracker on that person’s vehicle and go online and monitor where precisely that person is likely to be.
‘You struggle to have insight into how your behaviour would harm the victim and unless those issues are addressed you will struggle with healthy relationships.
‘In my view you are minimising this issue.’
Lawlan, of Bebbington, Wirral, was given a 18-month community order with requirements that he completes 20 days of rehabilitation activity, six months of alcohol treatment and 100 hours unpaid work.
He was also ordered to pay £199 in costs and a surcharge.
