Driving instructor who stalked York student has been jailed for breaking restraining order

A driving instructor who stalked a York uni student has been jailed for breaking his restraining order, York Crown Court ruled yesterday.

In May this year, 52-year-old Graham Mansie was given a suspended sentence and indefinite restraining order after stalking Maisie Relph, a psychology student at York. He has now been jailed for 20 months after breaking this.

Maisie told The York Tab the sentence is a “massive relief” and will “finally allow me to continue at university and live my life stalker free.”

52-year-old Mansie travelled from Kent to York on the 27th May, just nine days after the original restraining order had been placed. Nicky Gawith, a flatmate of Maisie’s spotted him sitting under a tree outside their accommodation in Vanbrugh College. When University security and the police attended the scene they found Mr Mansie sobbing, carrying a blade and self-harming.

Jailing him for 20 months, the judge said Mr Mansie had become “infatuated” with Maisie and warned that the jail sentence for any future breach would be measured in years, not months.

Via SWNS

Graham Mansie was originally given a two-month suspended sentence and an indefinite restraining order for stalking Maisie. He followed her up to York from London, joined her accommodation group chat posing as a student, and paid dark web hackers to access her social media accounts.

Graham Parkin, defending, said Mansie was withdrawn and isolated and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to breaching the restraining order and possessing a blade.

Maisie told The York Tab: “It’s a massive relief that Mr Mansie has finally been jailed, this will allow me to continue at university and live my life stalker free. I would like to thank my ten flatmates who all attended court with me yesterday, I was so lucky to feel supported.

“A special mention must go to Nicky Gawith who spotted Mr Mansie outside my accommodation block. The Vanbrugh College team have been amazing and I am so so grateful for all the support they have given me. Hopefully, this will finally be the end!”

After the case, Detective Constable Michelle Neighbour of North Yorkshire Police’s Stalking Support Team said:”We’re pleased with today’s sentence and hope it gives Maisie and her family and friends the reassurance that they can safely carry on with their lives, now that Mansie is behind bars. Having someone, who is ordered by the court to stay away from you, brazenly break that order within days and pursue you across the country is a terrifying experience.”

If you or someone you know has been affected by this story, please speak to someone or contact the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300 or via their website. Alternatively, Paladin offers support for victims of stalking. Support services for the North Yorkshire area can also be found here or by calling 01609 643 100.

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• ‘He joined my accommodation group chat’: York student stalked by her driving instructor

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• A York student died after calling the uni’s mental health service ‘useless’, inquest hears