Cookstown stalker's actions caused teenage boy to 'almost blackout in fear', Dungannon court told

Nigel Talbot, aged 55, from Stewart Avenue, admitted a charge of pursuing a course of conduct that amounted to stalking and causing the injured party to suffer fear or distress between February 5 and March 14 last year.

District Judge Francis Rafferty also put in place an restraining order for two years and excluded the defendant from approaching the injured party at his college.

The judge also ordered Talbot to pay the victim £500 compensation.

He said that Talbot had a clear record and a good work history and the Probation Service were of the opinion that there was a low likelihood of him reoffending.

Judge Rafferty said the report noted Talbot had led a life of solitude and was unaware of social cues.

Prosecuting counsel said on March 15 last year, police received a report from a male teenager who said he had been approached by Talbot at a bus stop.

The lawyer said the teenager had engaged in conversation with Talbot who asked him about his interests and what he was studying at the local college.

He said Talbot had also offered to give him a lift and they had exchanged phone numbers, although the injured party admitted it left him feeling “uneasy and fearful”.

The lawyer said this resulted in the injured party getting on an earlier bus to avoid meeting Talbot.

Continuing, the prosecutor said on March 4, Talbot had entered the college and asked the receptionist if it was the college the injured party attended. The college did not gave out any information and later contacted the police.

She said on March 14 Talbot went to the home of the teenager, causing him shock and making him "almost blackout in fear”.

The lawyer added that Talbot was arrested and on examination of his phone they found a picture of the injured party which had been taken from his Facebook profile.

A defence lawyer said that Talbot should have known better and, according to the Probation report, he had acted "somewhat out of character”.