Prolific stalker, 38, who installed multiple listening devices, trackers and cameras at ex and her new partner's home and workplaces amid 'despicable and devious' two-year harassment campaign is jailed

A prolific stalker who waged a 'despicable and devious' two-year harassment campaign against his ex-partner and the father of her child has been sentenced to a year behind bars.Craig Newton, of Newham, relentlessly stalked Danielle Dowles and Alex LeGrand between June 28, 2023 and November 23, 2025, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard on Monday.The 38-year-old, who has been convicted 13 times for 30 offences since April 2007, installed listening devices in their home by four-way cables, and cameras outside the victims' residences as well as their offices.Numerous covert tracking devices were found on both of their cars on five separate occasions, the court heard. Their vehicles were also repeatedly damaged in various incidents between August 2024 and July 2025.On July 15, 2025, Mr LeGrand described his car as being 'blown up' in an arson attack he said was carried out on his car by Newton, the court was told.Dashcam footage shows a black Mercedes driving towards Mr LeGrand's car. Smoke appears to fill the vehicle, and shortly after, a male gets into the vehicle's passenger seat before driving away. The terrifying campaign also extended to the victims' relatives, and on July 28, 2025, Mr LeGrand's mother's windows were 'smashed' by two individuals. The same happened to his sister on August 5, 2025, the court heard.That same month, 'bricks were thrown' at his mother's home again, and three months later, his sister-in-law's vehicle was also 'targeted and damaged', Timothy Fulfoit, prosecuting, told the court. Prolific stalker, Craig Newton, 38, of Newham, has been sentenced to a year behind bars after launching a 'devious and despicable' campaign of harrassment against his ex, Danielle Dowles and the father of her child, Alex LeGrand On July 15, 2025, Mr LeGrand described his car as being 'blown up', the court was told. He said an arson attack was carried out on his car by Newton. The 38-year-old, who has been convicted 13 times for 30 offences since April 2007, installed listening devices in their home by four-way cables (pictured)Mr Fulfoit added that Ms Dowles was 'fearful for [her] life' during the two-and-a-half year ordeal, with her son becoming 'scared' to speak at home out of fear of listening devices. 'I don't know how this is going to end [Newton] is ruining my life, and I don't know how far he is going to go,' she said in a statement read out in court.'I have no life anymore because of what he has put us through,' she said. 'I am terrified of what he is capable of.'Newton's 'multi-faceted' stalking campaign of Ms Dowles began on June 18, 2023, when he called her 99 times in three hours from prison, the court heard.He continued to phone both her and her mother from behind bars and threatened them if they called the police.Newton and Ms Dowles began their relationship in May 2022 but it 'fell apart pretty quickly' before he was jailed the following December in relation to eight counts of breaching a restraining order against another ex-girlfriend.Newton was sentenced to 32 months behind bars for the charges as well as another unrelated matter.The 38-year-old began his 'pattern of harassment and stalking' in 2014, when he breached a restraining order, Mr Fulfoit said. He was convicted of harassment, damaging property, as well as repeated restraining order breaches between February 2015 and July 2019. It was also heard that, after a relationship ended with a previous partner in January 2018, Newton 'embarked on mass calls on any one day without answer' from her. After their relationship ended, Ms Dowles had 'some contact' with the defendant until February 2023; she then wished to no longer speak with him.But despite being behind bars, Newton continued to contact her through third parties until his release, the court heard. He would also make 'derogatory' posts about her online.In December 2023, the first of many tracking devices was found on Ms Dowles' car, the court heard.In August 2024, another tracking device was discovered amid a probe after her vehicle was found to have been 'smashed into repeatedly by another car', Mr Fulfoit said. A third was discovered almost a year later in March 2025.Newton was 'lying in wait' at Ms Dowles' home after she attended a friend's birthday party in April 2025, Mr Fulfoit said.Pictured: Craig Newton and another individual outside Mr LeGrand's offices. One individual can be seen climbing up a ladder. A camera was found outside of LeGrand's workplace, which he was informed about by a colleague on September 9, 2025 Mr LeGrand also found the word 'GRASS' sprayed on the outside of the door and wall of his apartment on August, 20, 2025 Newton installed cameras outside the victims' residences as well as their offices (Pictured: One found in a pest box among shrubbery)Several cameras were then found outside her address monitoring her and Mr LeGrand's movement to and from the house, the court was told.When Newton was freed in 2024, he said he intended to 'ruin the relationship between her and Mr LeGrand,' the prosecution told the court.He then began monitoring Mr LeGrand's movements and asked Ms Dowles why his car had been outside her home overnight and threatened to blow it up.Two tracking devices were found on Mr LeGrand's car on separate occasions, one in July 2024 and another in May 2025.In July 2024, Mr LeGrand also received messages from different Instagram accounts, Mr Fulfoit added. A month later, a vehicle 'rammed into his car'.The following December, a site manager told LeGrand camera devices had been found outside his block of flats.In July 2025, Mr LeGrand described his car as being 'blown up' or 'damaged extremely'. That same month, he found cameras hidden in pest control boxes outside of his flat, the court heard.On September 7, 2025, while both Ms Dowles and Mr LeGrand were at Burger and Lobster, Newton hurled 'abusive language' at the pair.Two days later, cameras were found to have been installed outside of Mr LeGrand's office, with CCTV later showing Newton alongside another individual installing the camera.Harry Martin, mitigating, asked for both counts to be served as concurrent sentences as they were 'a series of offences of the same type and period'.'I did not disagree with any other facts, did not wish to add any further about the defendant,' he said.After striking a plea deal, Newton pleaded guilty to two counts of Section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, and was sentenced to a year behind bars.Judge Oscar Del Fabbro, at sentencing, told Newton: 'This all arose when you were in a relationship which lasted a couple of months with the complainants, and that fell apart pretty quickly'.He added Newton maintained contact with the victim while in prison, 'no doubt utilising means you were not permitted'.'You continued your campaign of harassment against the complainant; it was multifaceted, and it was not only against your former partner but indeed against a new partner who formed a new relationship with her,' he added.'Your ingenuity in stalking these two individuals knew no bounds. It was a catalogue of despicable behaviour on your part.'You won't understand it; you never will. 'Your ingenuity in stalking these two individuals knew no bounds. It was a catalogue of despicable behaviour on your part,' Judge Oscar Del Fabbro told Newton'The personal implications of this behaviour must have been obvious to you.'You designed it that way even though she was no way interested in continuing that relationship.'The judge said Newton's devious methods of seeking to harass the victims were just 'the tip of the iceberg' of the 'considerable anxiety' caused to both victims.He added that 'No person should have to endure that behaviour.'A restraining order was also put in place preventing Newton from contacting either victim for the next decade.The judge warned Newton: 'Breach of such an order carries a sentence of imprisonment for five years.'You will be well advised to stay clear of the two individuals named in that restraining order.'