AN OBSESSIVE stalker who breached a restraining order on numerous occasions by contacting his former partner has been warned by a judge that he could be considered dangerous if he does not change his ways.

Tobias Gorman was jailed for three-and-a-half years having admitted offences of stalking, assault, criminal damage and breaching a restraining order in relation to his ex-girlfriend.

The 30-year-old also pleaded guilty to harassment of a second woman, who he “bombarded” with messages after being “enraged” by a comment from another man on a social media post she made. A sentencing hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday, October 19, heard that Gorman, from Poole, harassed this victim after they met on a dating app.

This offence took place just a month after he had been given a community order and a five-year restraining order by the courts for an earlier stalking offence against his former partner.

Prosecuting, Paul Fairley said after the comment was left on the woman’s social media post the defendant called her repeatedly and sent a raft of messages online.

In relation to his ex-girlfriend, who he had been with from 2017 until January 2019, the court was told the two were still in contact after the restraining order had been made.

Mr Fairley said after the woman posted a picture at the beach on September 8, 2019, Gorman worked out where she was and sat next to her.

Ten days later she told him they could not see each other anymore.

“He turned up at her address, he put his car keys through her door and begged her to let him in,” said Mr Fairley.

With the door ajar, Gorman pushed his way through and committed assault with the woman falling to the floor in the process.

Contact from the defendant continued until September 29, 2019, when a second assault took place.

The two were together when an argument broke out in which Gorman got “angrier and angrier”. He proceeded to push her and grab both her arms, throwing her to the floor.

She managed to lock herself in a room and call police, who attended the scene.

Despite being arrested and charged, his offending persisted.

After appearing at Poole Magistrates’ Court on October 1, 2019, and being granted conditional bail, he immediately tried to get hold of his ex-girlfriend.

Mr Fairley said: “He began making contact as soon as he had been released from court. Numerous text messages, WhatsApp messages and numerous efforts to contact her.”

In the days that followed he went on to contact her employer alleging she was selling herself for sex. The court heard he had also previously sent messages to her work colleague claiming she was an “exotic dancer”.

On June 19 of this year police were called to reports of a collision involving the defendant’s Harley Davidson motorcycle and the woman’s car by her Bournemouth home. After arriving at the scene, officers heard a disturbance and discovered the defendant in breach of the restraining order again, the court was told.

His most recent offending took place while remanded in custody when he sent three letters from prison which all breached the court order on June 28, July 3 and July 8.

A victim impact statement from the woman said she no longer felt safe in a place she called home.

“I’m on edge all the time and feel like I will never break free of this cycle,” her statement said.

“I just want this to end and for us to both move on.”

Mitigating, Rob Griffiths said the victim was "very candid" in her statement as she went on to say she did not think Gorman was a monster, but his actions had got him in trouble again.

“He accepts he has been a fool,” said Mr Griffiths.

“He doesn’t want anything more to do with her now.”

The barrister described the former couple as "very ill-matched", adding that the defendant needs to learn how to handle situations with regards to relationships.

Mr Griffiths said Gorman had engaged with various courses while remanded in custody.

Although judge Stephen Climie said he did not regard Gorman as dangerous at present, he warned the defendant if they were to meet again in relation to similar offences “you will have provided the court with sufficient evidence that you are going to cause some really serious danger to another individual”.

The judge added: “He needs serious help because he is obsessive.”

Summarising the offence of harassment, the judge said the defendant became "jealous" when he saw some of the online posts.

He said: "It must have been an extremely distressing time for her."

Judge Climie had deferred sentencing Gorman in November last year for the offences that took place in 2019.

Yesterday in court, Judge Climie said this was a decision he made in the hope it was the right one for all involved but he now regretted it given the defendant’s continued offending and the impact it had on the victim.

"We all make mistakes but I bitterly regret the mistake I have made in that case," said the judge.

Gorman was issued with a four-year restraining order in relation to the woman he harassed and a new restraining order to run until a further order is made in relation to his ex-girlfriend.