A 38-year-old man who spent almost eight months harassing a woman including giving her a condom as a gift has been made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO).
The order was granted by Exeter Magistrates concerning Michael Frew, 38, of Melbourne Street, Exeter, following an application by Devon & Cornwall Police.
He was recently given a suspended prison sentence for pursuing a course of conduct between March 31 and November 24 which amounted to the harassment of a person in that he regularly waited at her place of work, engaged in unwanted conversation, made approaches of a sexual nature and provided unwanted gifts including a condom.
He had pleaded guilty and was committed to prison for 16 weeks suspended for 18 months. The offence was deemed to be serious as it was planned and committed on bail, involved stalking a victim, and previous offences were recorded against him regarding other women.
A restraining order was also made which prevents Frew from contacting the victim by any means, following her to her place of work or home address or being within 100 metres of her.
The application made by police stated that he had acted in such a way to give reasonable cause to believe it is necessary for a SOPO to be made.
It means that he must not have any unsupervised contact with any female under 16 except when it is inadvertent and not reasonably avoidable in the course of lawful daily life; with the consent of the child's parent or guardian of Social Services who have knowledge of his convictions; and he must not engage in any contact which harasses, pesters, intimidates or annoys any female. The order lasts for five years.
