Phillip Robinson, a 40-year-old man, has been jailed for breaking into a woman’s bedroom while she was asleep. The incident occurred on June 11 when Robinson climbed through an unlocked window at the victim’s home on Coronation Avenue.
The victim was abruptly awakened to find a man standing at the foot of her bed. The glow from the television illuminated her bedroom, allowing her to recognise the intruder as her neighbour, Robinson. Terrified, she shouted at him to leave, which woke up other family members. They managed to get Robinson out of the house, but not before he repeatedly apologised.
The police were called and during the investigation, it was revealed that Robinson had been stalking the victim for several months, and his behaviour had escalated quickly. Initially, he would sit on his mobility scooter at the end of his driveway, watching the victim’s home and attempting to engage her in conversation when she came outside. However, the victim tried to avoid any contact with him.
The situation worsened when Robinson started to frequent a communal pathway near the victim’s garden. Over time, he would park his scooter in a way that faced her home and would stay there for about 15 minutes. The victim felt increasingly uncomfortable and intimidated by his presence.
Robinson was arrested on June 12 for stalking and was released on bail with strict conditions not to contact the victim or go to Coronation Avenue. However, he repeatedly violated these conditions in the following days. He was seen leaving a property on the avenue and even attempted to cross the road towards the victim’s home, leading to his arrest for continued stalking.
During a police interview, Robinson claimed that the victim had been flirting with him because she wore shorts and had talked to him. However, he admitted that she had never disclosed her name. When asked about why he appeared in her bedroom, Robinson initially claimed to have received a text message inviting him, but later retracted that statement, acknowledging that he was mistaken and had not received any such message.
On December 6, at Peterborough Crown Court, Robinson pleaded guilty to stalking involving serious harm and distress. He was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for his despicable actions.
DC Alan Tregilgas, the lead investigator, condemned Robinson’s behavior, calling it “frightening” and emphasising the importance of reporting such crimes. He thanked the victim for her courage and bravery in coming forward and hopes that the sentencing would bring her some closure.
