Stalker tracked his ex with GPS device on car

Obsessive Keith Martin covertly tracked her movements using a mobile phone app while repeatedly bombarding her with text messages, emails and visits to her home.

The 41-year-old then terrified his victim by turning up at the door of her new boyfriend’s house, leaving confused as to how he found it.

Worried for her safety, the victim contacted police who found a small rectangular black box fitted to the underside of the car.

The device, held in place by magnets, was later linked to an app found on Martin’s mobile phone which showed the offender the exact whereabouts of his victim’s vehicle.

Martin, of Bede Burn Road, Jarrow, was subsequently arrested and recently pleaded guilty to stalking causing serious alarm and distress.

In a statement, the victim said she felt “sick” when officers showed her how Martin had tracked her movements after the relationship ended.

She said: “I feel permanently sick and scared. Keith has manipulated me and got into my head.

“I am terrified he will do something to my family and carry out a terrible attack on me.

“He knows everything about me.

“I am so frightened.

“When the police officer showed me the tracking device he had found on my car, I felt sick.”

Martin has been remanded into custody and will be sentenced on March 23.

PC Wendy Gribben said: “His actions were sinister, calculated and intimidating as he struggled to accept the end of their relationship, and he went to great lengths to ensure his victim could not move on with her life.

“His obsessive behaviour caused a great deal of upset and fear.

“This has been an incredibly distressing series of events for the victim, and I would like to praise her for the incredible bravery that she has shown throughout this investigation.

“I sincerely hope Martin’s conviction gives her some kind of closure and allows her to start the next chapter of her life, free of harassment and fear.

“We will continue to bring predatory and obsessive individuals like Martin to justice.”