Man, 49, jailed for breaching restraining order

A 49-year-old man has been jailed after he repeatedly breached a restraining order banning him from contacting his ex-partner.

Alec Griffin, previously of Kettering, was issued with the first restraining order in February 2021, after a conviction for malicious communications, threats to kill and common assault.

However, in March 2021 he breached the order by contacting the woman in question via phone excessively, attending her address and being abusive. Griffin was handed a community order and rehabilitation requirement as a result.

A further restraining order was granted in November 2023 after Griffin was convicted of stalking the same woman. He was handed an eight-month suspended sentence at Northampton Crown Court.

However, less than a month later, he breached the order by further excessive and unwanted contact with his ex-partner - sending her text messages and calling her from withheld numbers.

In interview, he told officers that some of the messages were meant for other people and that he couldn’t account for the others.

Griffin was charged with two counts of breaching a restraining order and one count of breaching a suspended sentence. After pleading guilty to the offences at Northampton Crown Court in February 2024, he returned to the same court this week (May 7) where he was sentenced to a total of one year and eight months in prison.

He was also handed a ten-year restraining order which means he isn’t allowed contact of any kind with his ex-partner and also isn’t permitted to enter Kettering.

Lead investigator Detective Constable Jen Jacobs, said: “I want to commend the woman in this case for her courage in coming forward. She has lived in fear of Alec Griffin for a long time and suffered nasty abuse at his hands so I am really pleased for her that he has been sent to prison. I really hope she will be able to live her life in peace from now on.

“Like so many other domestic abusers, Griffin’s campaign of abuse was often relentless and the woman in this case was rarely at ease, always waiting for the next contact.

“For most people, a knock at the door, a noise outside, or a message pinging on your phone, is just a normal part of daily life. But for people who have experienced domestic abuse, these things can cause immense anxiety and trauma.

“Here at Northamptonshire Police, we know how difficult it is to break the cycle of domestic abuse and to reach out for help, so I want to reassure people that we will believe you and we will do everything we can to help you live a happier and safer life.

“I hope this case demonstrates that, and although nothing will take away the memories of Griffin’s behaviour, I hope the conclusion of this case provides this woman with some comfort and closure.”

If you need our help please ring 101 or in an emergency – 999. If you would prefer to report online, you can visit www.northants.police.uk/ro.