Dunmow: Stalker jailed and given 20-year restraining order

A stalker has been jailed for more than two years and given a 20-year restraining order after attacking a woman in Dunmow.

In 2024 Craig Gillies, 48, of Hubberd Road in Dunmow, repeatedly turned up at the address of his victim without warning for more than six months, trying to get inside.

Then on 24 August this year – when Gillies was arrested – he assaulted the woman and strangled her, as well as threatening to kill her and trying to prevent her from contacting police.

He was charged with assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm, threats to kill, S4 Public Order Act, threats with a bladed article and intentional strangulation. Gillies was remanded in custody as he was deemed too dangerous to be released on bail.

Despite initially pleading not guilty to these offences, on 17 October Gillies pleaded guilty to all charges at Chelmsford Crown Court. He was sentenced to 27 months in prison in total:

• 12 months for intentional strangulation
• 12 months for causing actual bodily harm, running concurrently
• 15 months for threatening with an offensive weapon in a private place, running consecutively
• 15 months for making threats to kill, running concurrently.

He was also given a restraining order lasting 20 years to protect the victim in this case from his offending and behaviour.

Speaking after the sentencing, Constable Aston Joseph said:

“Gillies has repeatedly shown he is a dangerous offender and a threat to those he meets.
“It is only right that these offences result in a custodial sentence, but even more important is the restraining order in place to protect the victim.
“Orders like this give us the power to monitor offenders much more closely once released, as well as ensuring they’ll receive a further custodial sentencing if they breach the terms of their order.
“Our monitoring and the use of these orders is bringing down offences like stalking and harassment in Essex – down 15.5% in the 12 months to October 2024 – and we are working hard to bring it down further.”