A 66-year-old stalker has been banned from Stroud for three years for harassing a woman over a six month period.

John Tutt, of Pembroke Street, Swindon, loitered near his victim’s address in attempts to make contact with her and waited for her in places he knew she would be.

He also sent the woman various articles which he ought to have known were unwanted.

Magistrates in Cheltenham imposed a three year restraining order on Mr Tutt which bars him from going to Stroud or making contact with the victim and two members of her family.

They sentenced him to 160 hours of unpaid work within 12 months, and ordered him to take part in up to 25 activity days as directed by his probation supervising officer.

He was convicted of two charges of stalking last month: the first applied to the period between June 14 and August 24, 2020, and the second applied to the period between August 24 and December 14, 2020.

Magistrates did not order him to pay compensation to the woman on the grounds that it was "inappropriate as the victim wishes to have nothing more to do with the defendant."

Mr Tutt was ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £95.