Man jailed for sexual assault stalked victim for years after release

A CONVICTED sex offender who was jailed for sexually assaulting a teenage girl on a bus stalked her years later after sending her sinister messages on social media under a woman's name.

- PHILIP DEWEY

He later revealed his true identity after sending weekly messages to the victim for six years in which he threatened to strip her naked and hit her with a cane.

Michael Davies, 60, was sentenced to two years imprisonment after sexually assaulting his victim, who was 17 years old at the time, by approaching her on a bus, touching her arm, and making sexual comments towards her.

But in 2019, following his release from prison, he began a "campaign of stalking" against his victim in retribution for his conviction.

A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard the defendant set up a Facebook account in the name of Rachel Phillips and began messaging the victim with the first messages reading: "Happy New Year, my Christmas was fantastic, how about you?"

He followed this up by saying: "Where are you? On a bus?" in reference to the previous sexual assault.

He began messaging the victim on a weekly basis, which lasted for six years.

The victim became concerned about the messages, which asked her personal questions about her relationships, and the account made attempts to video call her.