A former West Yorkshire Police employee has avoided an immediate prison sentence after he admitted stalking a Kirklees mum over a six-week period.

Richard Marshall, 39, who had worked in the Digital Forensics United based at Carr Gate, Wakefield, was given a suspended jail term by a judge on Thursday after Bradford Crown Court heard how he used his car to follow his victim and her mother when they drove to Blackpool for a family holiday.

Marshall, who had been suspended from duty at the start of investigation back in 2020, admitted in a basis of plea that he had also been hanging around the complainant’s address hoping to bump into her and had also attended at her front door on one occasion.

Marshall’s behaviour led to his victim installing CCTV equipment at her home, changing her phone and getting a new car registration plate.

In a victim impact statement she said his behaviour had made her life “a living hell” and Recorder Anesh Pema said the woman had also suffered mental health issues.

The judge said the most significant and serious incident took place in September 2020 when the woman and her mother were travelling to Blackpool and they noticed a car “playing cat and mouse” with them on the motorway.

Prosecutor Imran Khan said the victim’s mother took a note of the car’s registration plate and they tried to lose the vehicle.

He said the driver of the car had covered his face and he eventually drove off at speed.

“Checks on the police national computer showed the car was registered to a Mr Marshall, an employee of West Yorkshire Police Force,” said Mr Khan.

When he was initially arrested Marshall denied being responsible for stalking the woman, but earlier this year he eventually pleaded guilty to the charge.

Barrister Sean Smith, for Marshall, said the offending was nearly two years old and there had been “a significant cooling off period” with no further incidents.

He said it was clear from a doctor’s report that the defendant was a very different person at the time of the offences and any behaviour ought to be considered against his mental health at that time.

Mr Smith submitted that his client had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a consequence of his employment with West Yorkshire Police and it had had a significant effect on his mental health and well being.

The court heard that Marshall was now under the care of an enhanced mental health team and Mr Smith said his client was benefitting significantly from the treatment and assessments.

Recorder Pema decided that the 16-month prison sentence for the stalking offence could be suspended for two years, but he ordered Marshall to do 150 hours unpaid work for the community and comply with 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

The judge also made him subject to an indefinite restraining order which bans him from contacting or approaching the complainant.

Referring to the incident on the way to Blackpool, Recorder Pema said:”The distress that will have been caused to the victim is absolutely obvious.”

“I’ve read the psychiatric reports provided. They are clear that the person you were at the time was significantly affected by the PTSD from your work as a forensic examiner for the police and looking at images that disturbed you significantly.”