Convicted rapist's stalking '˜fixation' with tattoo artists

A convicted rapist became obsessed with female tattooists.
Blackpool Magistrates' CourtBlackpool Magistrates' Court
Blackpool Magistrates' Court

He stalked three of them and even booked in for tattoos on his arms so he could get close to them.

Once the trio knew about his conviction for rape, other sex offences and the fact he was on the Sex Offender’s Register, they lived in fear of 24-year-old James Mather.

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Mather, of Warrenhurst Road, Fleetwood, admitted stalking offences when he appeared before magistrates in Blackpool.

Prosecutor Jim Mowbray told the court: “These are very serious offences. This man is a convicted sex offender. He served five years for rape. He has also been convicted of breaching the terms of his sex offenders’ order by setting up false Facebook accounts using an alias to contact women for which he was also jailed.

“He has developed a fixation for young adult females working in the tattoo industry.”

One of his victims said in a statement: “He has been harassing me for three months. He started by sending me a friend request on the Facebook page we use to promote our business.

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“When I got to know about his background I became scared and anxious and could not sleep. I don’t know if he knows where I live. I just want it to stop.”

A second victim told police: “There was a bizarre message saying that if I was killed he would not come to my funeral as he would be out looking for the person who had done it. He was obsessed with me and I felt he was following me.”

Mr Mowbray said: “All three are absolutely terrified of Mather when they found out his background.

“One had been doing a tattoo on Mather’s arm and when she found out about his conviction she stopped working on it before it was finished.”

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Sue Mugford, defending, said Mather had a Lancashire address but had to leave the area because of the action of sex offender vigilantes.

She added: “It was the vigilantes who told the tattooists about his criminal past.”

Mather was given a two year community order during which he must undertake 30 days rehabilitation. He was also made the subject of an indefinite restraining order forbidding him from contacting or communicating with the three victims.