A man with a computer background accessed his ex-partner’s CCTV system to spy on her in his own house, as well as break into her house and hack into her WhatsApp account. Peter Wilson also regularly walked past the woman’s home during a three-month campaign of harassment.

Wilson, 48, who broke up with the woman last summer, also harassed his new partner. The woman became suspicious that Wilson was watching her and decided to unplug her CCTV cameras.

After returning home from a trip, she discovered that the cameras had been reconnected.

Prosecutor Angela Conlan said: ‘She’s gone on summer vacation. Before leaving the house, she locked all the windows and doors. When she came back she said the CCTV had been turned back on.

The woman then began to receive emails from fake addresses containing photos of her home, reports echo. Wilson sent harassing and insulting emails and text messages to the woman’s new partner, Paul Potter, in defence, said Wilson quickly admitted what he had done when questioned by police.

This included confirming the woman’s suspicions that he had watched her on his CCTV. He said: “He admitted that in an interview he admitted the other offenses in an interview. In fact, he confessed everything in an interview.

Wilson, of Chelford Road, Eccleston, was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail, suspended for two years, for stalking his ex. Magistrates also insisted he must complete a series of rehabilitation activities and pay £500 in compensation. For the harassment of the woman’s partner, he must undertake unpaid work. A restraining order prevents him from contacting either.