TikTok stalker fantasized about kidnapping and sexually torturing a woman

A stalker became obsessed with a woman he met on social media and fantasized about kidnapping and sexually tormenting her, a court heard. Sean Gray then turned up uninvited in the victim’s village after travelling from Scotland to west Wales.

Gray continued to harass and threaten the woman even after he was arrested and released on bail. A judge at Swansea Crown Court sentenced the 33-year-old to prison, saying his behaviour was “abhorrent” and had caused his victim “very great distress”.

Prosecutor Caitlin Brazel said the plaintiff in the case met the defendant on the social media site TikTok in September last year. The two were in contact for a while before the woman discovered Gray had a previous criminal record and had lied to her – she replied that she did not want any further communication with him and blocked him on a number of social media platforms and messaging apps, including WhatsApp, Facebook and Snapchat. However, Gray continued to send her messages by setting up a number of fake social media accounts. It later emerged that the defendant had created no fewer than 22 such accounts.

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The court heard that on October 15, the woman was walking through her home village in Carmarthenshire when she saw Gray get off a bus travelling from Scotland to Wales. Alarmed by his sudden appearance, the woman reported what had happened to police and the defendant was arrested and released on bail on condition that he make no contact with the woman. However, the defendant continued to send the woman messages threatening her that he would go to her home and kick the door down and telling her she would “pay” for her actions. He also threatened to harm himself if she did not withdraw her report to police.

The court heard Gray also contacted a friend of the victim and told her he wanted to lure the woman into his car by telling her her family was in danger. He said after getting the target into his vehicle, he would drug her with chloroform, drive her to an abandoned building and hold her there while he sexually tortured her. Gray also told the friend he wanted “revenge”, was “quick and calculating” and did not back down. The prosecutor said Gray subsequently turned up at the victim’s front door – when the “terrified” woman saw who was knocking, she immediately called police and the defendant was arrested. In a statement read to the court, the victim said Gray’s actions made her sick and left her terrified in her own home.

Sean Gray, of no fixed abode, had previously pleaded guilty to stalking, causing fear of violence and witness intimidation when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has two previous convictions for three offences, including stalking in 2020.

Matt Murphy, representing Gray, said social media had “magnified” the defendant’s problems and he said the defendant could not handle social media. He said his client had had time to reflect on how much his behavior had upset others and “his inability to let things go.” He added that Gray wanted to deal with his problems and “reenter society in a way where this offending does not happen again.”

Judge Catherine Richards described the defendant’s behaviour as “abhorrent” and said it had caused the victim a great deal of distress. She said she was also concerned because there was evidence that Gray had written to the complainant from prison. With the required one-third discount for his guilty plea, Gray was sentenced to a total of three years and two months in prison, including 22 months for the stalking offence and 16 months for witness intimidation. The defendant will serve up to half that time before being released on parole to spend the remainder of his sentence in the community. He was also made subject to a restraining order prohibiting him from having any contact with his victim. Subscribe to our crime newsletter here to receive the latest court reports

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