Being dumped prompted man’s coercive behaviour, court told

Sheffield Crown Court heard how Steven Travers’ life was “shaken to its core” when he found out his ex-wife was in a relationship with her colleague.

Mr Mehran Nassiri, prosecuting, said Travers and his ex had been married for six years and described the relationship as “turbulent from the start”, involving “shouting, pushing and shoving”.

He added upon discovering his ex-wife had been in a relationship in December 2020, Travers had started following her.

Mr Nassiri said: “He was moving items in the (complainant’s) house, playing mind games.

“He was also using a mobile phone tracking device.”

Mr Gary Cook, mitigating, said Travers had been a “man in emotional turmoil”.

He said Travers had been described as a “hard-working man” for whom seeing his ex-wife with another man was “devastating”.

Mr Cook added: “It’s clear that he was acting out of character.

“He loved his wife. He hoped for reconciliation.

“His life was shaken to its core.”

Travers admitted controlling and coercive behaviour when he appeared at Sheffield Crown Court last Wednesday.

Recorder Richard Thyne said Travers’ ex-wife had decided in 2019 to join the police, where she had met someone new.

“You began tracking her, further calling her and following her with her new partner with a tracking device,” he told Travers.

“She was upset and scared to stay at home. She just wanted it to stop.”

Travers’ address was given as Tunwell Greave, Sheffield, but the offending took place in Rotherham.

He was sentenced to jail for six months suspended for 12 months for controlling and coercive behaviour.

Recorder Thyne also sentenced Travers to 28 days of rehabilitation activity requirement, 80 hours of unpaid work and imposed a restraining order.