A Swansea man who subjected his former partner to a sustained campaign of stalking, including harassing her at her workplace, has been sentenced at Swansea Crown Court. The court heard harrowing details of Joshua Hearn’s actions, which unfolded over several days after the breakdown of his five-year relationship.
Hearn, 27, began his troubling behaviour soon after his ex-partner ended their relationship on 9 April this year. Prosecutors described how he inundated her with messages, calls and emails, often creating new online accounts in an attempt to evade blocks and contact restrictions. Authorities say on one day alone, Hearn made approximately 40 calls in just four and a half hours—a pattern that left the victim feeling overwhelmed and fearful.
In a particularly disturbing incident, Hearn reportedly phoned the Llansamlet supermarket where his ex-partner worked. Posing as her brother, he claimed there was a family emergency, only to show up at the store himself. Once inside, he followed her around the aisles, threatening to have her dismissed from her job unless she agreed to speak with him. Security staff eventually intervened and escorted him off the premises.
Removing any ambiguity about the nature of his contact, Hearn sent his victim a stream of abusive messages, many laced with explicit threats. In several of these, he told her she would be his “worst nightmare” and threatened to “ruin” her life. He also brazenly stated he did not care if the police became involved, insisting that no one could stop him from doing as he wished.
The impact of this relentless harassment on the victim was profound. In a moving impact statement read in court, she described how Hearn’s behaviour had left her “petrified” to leave her home, caused her to change her routines, and made her feel like a “prisoner” in her own house. She also revealed she had installed domestic security cameras and sought counselling, yet continued to struggle with fear and the hope of regaining her former self-confidence and happiness.
Police arrested Hearn on 19 April. Upon being presented with the allegations, his response was dismissive and derogatory. During subsequent interviews, he largely refused to answer questions but did state that he had only attempted to speak to his ex about their son.
Hearn, with one previous conviction for assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2018, pleaded guilty to stalking. His defence barrister, David Singh, said his client now acknowledged his behaviour had been “deeply unpleasant” and that he needed to “grow up, and grow up fast”. Singh also pointed to Hearn’s consistent work history and financial support for his children.
Presiding over sentencing, Judge Geraint Walters was frank in his appraisal, stating that Hearn “relentlessly pursued” his ex-partner and used “vulgar, aggressive and threatening language.” However, the judge noted the offending spanned a relatively brief period and, referencing sentencing guidelines, observed there was a realistic prospect of Hearn engaging with rehabilitation rather than immediate imprisonment.
Taking into account Hearn’s guilty plea, which entitled him to a sentencing discount, the judge handed down a 12-month prison term suspended for two years. Hearn was also ordered to undergo a rehabilitation programme and is subject to a five-year restraining order prohibiting any contact with his former partner.
This case draws attention to the severe emotional and psychological toll that stalking can take on victims. While Hearn may have evaded an immediate custodial sentence on this occasion, the court’s verdict underscores the seriousness with which such offences are treated and the ongoing support victims need as they seek to recover from such traumatic experiences.