HGV driver stalked his ex-partner in a bid to get help with his mental health

A HGV driver “wasn’t in the right headspace” when he sent numerous messages to his ex-partner on social media platforms and turned up at her house uninvited.Ross Granger, of Goodwins Road in Lynn, admitted stalking his ex-partner from May 8-27 when he appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.However, duty solicitor Ruth Johnson explained that Granger was looking for mental health support from his ex-partner as she went through a similar experience.

Prosecutor Asif Akram told magistrates that Granger’s relationship with the victim ended in 2020. She had received unwanted messages from him in 2023 but ignored them.However, the unwanted messages began again on May 8, with Granger asking the woman via Facebook Messenger if he could visit her house.He then followed her TikTok and Instagram accounts and continued to send her unwanted messages. The victim got so fed up that she ended up replying to Granger, referring to him as a “dirty rat”.At a later date, he visited the woman’s home with hopes of seeing her, but she was not home. Granger slipped a note into her letterbox saying: “It’s Ross, when you get this can you get in touch. I need your help with my mental health.”He continued sending her unwanted messages until he was visited by the police and interviewed.Granger told officers that he was looking for assistance and was remorseful for his actions. Ms Johnson said: “He was not in the right headspace when she made it clear that she didn’t want contact.“He clearly was incredibly remorseful. There were no threats, abuse or swearing – it was simply unwanted contact.”The court heard that at the time Granger was sending the unwanted messages, he was working night shifts as a HGV driver.“He recognises now that this was not a compliment to his mental health,” added Ms Johnson. “They [his employers] recommended that he goes back to working day shifts, now he is not feeling as isolated and sees his friends and family.”Magistrates asked the probation service to complete a pre-sentence report on Granger to determine whether he is suitable for unpaid work.The defendant will return to court on January 14 to learn his fate.