A man who threatened, intimidated and stalked his ex-partner and went on harass her family has been jailed for over four years.
Robert Bassnett appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday 29 January where he was jailed for four years and six months.
Bassnett’s sentencing comes after the 35-year-old, of HMP Altcourse, pleaded guilty to stalking involving serious alarm/distress and harassment.
The court heard that Bassnett had been in a relationship with his now ex-partner, a 23-year-old woman from Warrington for a year, which concluded in 2024.
However, even after the relationship concluded, Bassnett remained in contact with the victim, who was pregnant at the time.
Between 30 April and 19 June 2025, Bassnett began stalking her, regularly turning up at her home, demanding to see her, and bombarded her with a number of threatening text messages and unwanted phone calls.
On one occasion, Bassnett went so far as to hide in a bush near her address, sent her threatening texts and waited for her to leave the property.
When she left, he then shouted verbal abuse at her before jumping out of the bush and throwing a brick at her.
Bassnett also directed a number of death threats towards the victim’s father.
His behaviour towards the victim’s father further escalated when he created a new social media account and began posting false information, along with his address, online.
The incidents were subsequently reported to Cheshire Police, with officers launching a number of enquiries to locate him, before circulating him as wanted.
As part of these enquires, a media release as published on 9 June 2025 appealing to the public for any information in relation to Bassnett’s whereabouts. Bassnett took to social media and goaded the officers looking for him.
He was promptly arrested soon after.
Officers built a sizeable casefile against Bassnett, leaving him no option but to plead guilty to the charges.
Alongside his four-and-a-half-year custodial sentence, Bassnett was handed an indefinite Restraining Order preventing him from contacting the victims via any means.
Police Constable James Unsworth, who led the investigation into Bassnett’s offending, said:
“Not only did Bassnett target his ex-partner and her family, but he thought himself untouchable whilst doing so, goading police on social media whilst he was wanted for his crimes.
“However, he was quickly proven wrong when we located him exiting woodland and, after a short foot chase, brought him into our custody.
“This was an extremely traumatising experience for the victims in this case, and I hope that Bassnett’s sentence, along with his restraining order, will provide them with some reassurance.
“Domestic abuse is not acceptable and will not be tolerated, and we want to send out a clear message that nobody should have so have to suffer in silence.
“If you are a victim of domestic abuse, or if you know someone who is a victim, please get in touch.
“We treat all reports of domestic abuse extremely seriously and will use all the powers available to us to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”
To report any incidents of domestic abuse contact Cheshire police on 101, or report online https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/, in an emergency call 999.
