Last updated at 12:55, Friday, 30 November 2012

Ian Nathaniel Miskelly was sentenced today at Carlisle Crown Court to 32 months imprisonment for the harassment and threatening behaviour to five people in Workington.

Miskelly, aged 18, from Bromley Court, Workington, began his campaign of harassment in 2011, when he would leave death threats in certain locations where he knew his victims would easily find them. His victims included a family (father, mother and daughter), and two un-associated women, one of which was a police officer at Cumbria Constabulary.

His harassment escalated with threatening messages being posted onto Facebook, with hundreds of messages being aimed at his victims, which included threats to rape and kill them. The pages he would leave these messages on included, his victims, a police officers, Cumbria Constabulary, Metropolitan Police and Crimestoppers.

He pleaded guilty to the offences on September 20 and was sentenced to 32 month imprisonment today.

DC Carolyn Orr said: “Miskelly pursued a course of conduct against the victims which was nasty and sustained. The victims were all terrified and spent their days not knowing when the next threat would come. This was an extensive investigation which had to examine vast amounts of information in order to bring him to justice.

“We are happy with the sentence which has been given by Judge Batty, who described his conduct as a ‘campaign of terror’ and how he utilized his native cunningness to appalling effect. He recognised how the effect on his victims have been profound and had completely ripped a family apart.”

“The sentence given by Judge Batty will hopefully give the victims a sense of justice and they will be able to rebuild their lives after the devastating effect he had on them.”

Anyone who has any concerns about this type of behaviour or would like some further advice can contact their local police station on 101

First published at 16:47, Thursday, 29 November 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk