Woman harassed former partner over break-up (From Craven Herald)

Woman harassed former partner over break-up

4:36pm Thursday 10th January 2013 in News

A 20-year-old woman repeatedly phoned her former partner for an explanation over the sudden ending of their long-term relationship, Skipton magistrates heard.

Amy Short was heartbroken when Katherine Corrigan, 19, moved out while she was on holiday in Australia, the court was told last Wednesday.

Short was issued with a harassment warning by the police after phoning Miss Corrigan more than 20 times in the early hours of August 11 and trying to speak to her at the nursing home where she worked.

But Short failed to heed the warning and on August 14 again attempted to talk to Miss Corrigan when she saw her waiting for a bus in Sutton-in-Craven.

Short, who denied harassment without violence, was found guilty by magistrates after they heard she accepted her behaviour would have caused Miss Corrigan harassment and alarm.

Miss Corrigan told the court that she had ended the relationship because Short had been violent and abusive throughout their time together.

She said she had told Short before she had left for Australia and had moved back to live with her parents while Short was away.

Miss Corrigan said on August 11, she had received several phone calls from Short – answering just one of them – and had also received a text message from her in which she said she had wanted to kill her.

“I was very frightened and called the police, I asked them to speak to her and ask her not to contact me anymore,” she said.

On August 14, Short was in a car with friends when she saw Miss Corrigan waiting at a bus stop.

Miss Corrigan claimed Short shouted that she wanted to kill her out of the car window and then approached her in an angry way, prompting her to telephone the police.

Amelia Mitchell, who was in the car at the time, confirmed Short had directed an unpleasant comment at Miss Corrigan from inside the car, but said she had not heard the threats to kill and Short had approached the other woman in a conciliatory way.

Short, of Main Street, Sutton, told the court she had been very upset at what she considered was the sudden ending of her long-term relationship.

On her return from Australia, she had discovered their home in a “disgusting” state and a letter on the mantelpiece, the court heard.

She had then discovered from others that Miss Corrigan was in a new relationship.

“I didn’t want her back, or anything like that, she had cheated on me,” Short said.

“I was upset. I loved her and I wanted an explanation.”

The court heard that Short, who had no previous convictions, was now settled in a new relationship and had moved on.

Magistrates said they had found the evidence of Miss Corrigan compelling and that Short in her own evidence had accepted her conduct was likely to cause harassment and alarm.

Sentencing was adjourned for reports. Short was given bail on condition she did not try to contact directly or indirectly Miss Corrigan.