Michael Held, 47, of Elmgrove Estate, Hardwicke, Gloucester, has avoided prison after admitting to a campaign of stalking against his former wife that included covertly recording her being intimate with another man and fitting tracking devices to her car.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Held, who had been in a relationship with the woman for 22 years after marrying in 2007, began monitoring her over an 11-month period after she told him she wanted a divorce. The court was told that he initially responded with 'love bombing' and persuasion, but later embarked on a determined effort to know her every move.
Covert cameras and tracking devices
The court heard that Held installed camera equipment in her home to watch her activities. Saba Shan, prosecuting, said: 'She became aware she was being spied on when she got a message from him asking where she was going for the evening. Among the material covertly recorded was footage of her being intimate with another man.'
At Christmas 2025, Held attended another person's home and showed them the footage 'as proof she had been cheating on him', Miss Shan said.
In May 2025, while driving her car, the woman received a notification that her car was being tracked. She found a tracker in the vehicle and a second device in the engine compartment. Held also used an app to track her movements and whereabouts, Miss Shan said.
Access to emails and social media
The woman was unaware that Held had one of her old phones, which he used to access her emails, social media accounts, and dating apps. He sent some of the accessed information, described as 'extremely personal', to a family member.
Miss Shan said: 'He accessed her online shopping account and posted images on social media of lingerie she had ordered.' He also changed passwords on some of her social media accounts and remotely deleted pictures from her iCloud.
Victim impact and sentencing
In a victim impact statement, the woman said: 'The final straw for me was when I was in hospital with my dying mother and found a second tracking device fitted to my vehicle. Losing my mother was devastating but discovering I had been monitored and controlled during that period compounded my grief and trauma. For a long time I normalised Michael's behaviour. I feel ashamed I didn't see it sooner, but it's hard to accept I was living with a blindfold on.'
The woman, who lives in Newcastle, now plans to move. Held, who has seven previous convictions for driving offences more than 20 years ago, admitted stalking involving serious fear or distress.
Recorder David Brooke KC told him: 'I genuinely have worried about what to do with you. This is quite serious offending by you, and it's persistent and sophisticated, and it's mean, really. It happened on a number of occasions using different methods, and it obviously did cause her anxiety and distress. Just, by a whisker, I can avoid immediate custody, but I want you to know it was very close. This is intrusive, unpleasant behaviour by you. You frightened your former wife and understandably so by what you've done. Be warned, if you do this sort of thing again you won't get a second chance.'
Held was sentenced to two years suspended for two years with 150 hours unpaid work, and he was also given a restraining order.
