Ex-delivery driver crept into woman's home and lay in her bed waiting for her (original) (raw)

Daniel Charters had initially struck up a friendship with the victim after delivering parcels to her door but his behaviour started to become more obsessive and "frightening"

Daniel Charters snuck into the victim's bedroom and waited for her to come home

A former Evri delivery driver has managed to avoid jail after he crept into a woman's home and lay in her bed waiting for her to get back.

Daniel Charters struck up a friendship with the victim after he delivered parcels to her door but he became more obsessive and instigated a bizarre stalking campaign as a result. Newcastle Magistrates' Court heard the 33-year-old wanted to meet up with the woman but that she refused due to her going out with friends.

Charters then sneaked into her Longbenton, North Tyneside, home and waited inside her bed until she returned, "badly frightening her," prosecutors said. The court heard that Charters did eventually leave when asked, but returned shortly afterwards and began knocking on the victim's doors and windows, which she ignored.

Charters avoided jail time (

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Newcastle Chronicle)

The following day, Charters showed up at her home again, this time making "disturbing comments", which led her to be "sick in the toilet". Charters continued to send messages to the woman, but the police were finally alerted when he once again visited her home.

The nuisance, from Longbenton, pleaded guilty to stalking and has now been handed a 12-month community order and a restraining order for the same duration, prohibiting him from contacting the victim or approaching her home, reports Chronicle Live. Brian Payne, prosecuting, revealed that Charters and the woman had struck up a friendship when he was an Evri driver delivering parcels to her home. But on August 19, their relationship took a dark turn.

Mr Payne disclosed: "He wanted to come over and hang out with her. She didn't want that to happen. He then sent a series of voice messages to her but she didn't listen to them and went out with friends. She came home at about 11.45pm and the flat was in darkness.

"She walked in and, at that point, a figure walked out from one of the rooms, badly frightening her. It was this defendant. He had let himself into the flat. She was clear, in her own mind, she had left the property secure. He wanted to hang out with her and wanted a friend."

Charters struck up a friendship with the woman while he worked as an Evri delivery driver (

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In Pictures via Getty Images)

"It became clear, after she told him to go, that he had been lying in her bed. That badly frightened her and she locked up the property."

The court was told how Charters returned, persistently knocking on the door and windows, and then showed up again the next morning, uttering a "disturbing comment" that left the victim feeling sick. Mr Payne remarked: "The defendant appears not to have a socialising filter."

David Parish, defending, pointed out that Charters had no previous convictions and said: "He has significant mental health issues and he presents as alcohol dependant. He had a friendship with the defendant, he had helped her with DIY and did flooring for her."

Charters' defence stated: "He then thought, on the day in question, that he was OK to go round. He was simply lonely and needed a friend to talk to. He's deeply, deeply ashamed of his actions." Charters was also ordered to pay £300 in damages, £85 in court fees, and a £114 surcharge to support victims of crime.