Stalker, 51, moved next door to businesswoman and bought the same dog and car as her after matching on Hinge, court told

• Martin Gunn, 51, met the victim – who has asked to remain unnamed – last March
• Reading Magistrates Court heard that the stalking began shortly after
• The victim had said she only wanted to be friends with Gunn after a few dates

A stalker moved next door to where his victim lived, tried to apply to the same gym as her and even bought the same dog and car as her, a court has heard.

Martin Gunn had met the victim, who MailOnline is not naming, on the dating app Hinge and started stalking her after just a few dates.

The 51-year-old sent numerous unwanted letters and emails, repeatedly attended her child’s school, place of work, home address and gym.

Attending Reading Magistrates Court in custody, the heavy-built defendant wore a grey prison tracksuit as he listened to the prosecution’s summary of the case.

Chad Echakowitz, prosecuting, said: ‘The defendant has first met the victim on the dating app Hinge in March 2023.

Martin Gunn (pictured), 51, sent his victim – who has asked to be unnamed – numerous unwanted letters and emails, repeatedly attended her child’s school, place of work, home address and gym – a court heard

Reading Magistrates Court heard that the stalking began shortly after they met on Hinge last March, with Gunn going as far as to move next door to her Windsor home last May

‘They only went on a few dates together and the relationship was only minorly intimate, some kissing.

‘In April 2023, the defendant became jealous and worried the victim was seeing other people. He questioned the victim about who she was messaging and why she was messaging people.’

The victim, a local businesswoman, had said she only wanted to be friends with Gunn, but he did not take this well and sent her a large number of messages, the court heard.

Flowers appeared on the victim’s doorstep and he bought her tickets to a Chelsea football match, the prosecutor said.

Mr Echakowitz added: ‘The defendant held this over her, asking her on many occasions in the months to come for money for the tickets, using this as an excuse to contact her.’

In May last year, the defendant – who had lived in another part of Windsor for eight years prior – ‘suddenly’ moved to just around the corner from where the victim lived in the town and texted her to let her know.

Concerned about this, the victim, had responded: ‘It is right around the corner from me.’

Magistrates were told that the defendant replied: ‘Do not worry, I am not a stalker, ha ha.’

Subsequently, Gunn sent the victim unwanted gifts – more bunches of flowers – the court heard.

Mr Echakowitz told how, in October last year, the victim spotted the defendant at her place of work, staring through the window.

‘He had bought the exact same dog as her’, the prosecutor said. The defendant then turned up to her workplace on numerous further occasions.

Gunn messaged the victim to let her know he would be joining the same gym as her, prompting her to rush to the facility and plead with the management to refuse his application.

Although Gunn was refused access, he was often spotted loitering around outside the gym, the court heard.

In November last year, the victim purchased a black Mercedes E-class car and within the same month the defendant brought the same E-Class, causing the victim concern.

It was only in December last year, after the victim became increasingly concerned about Gunn continuing to drive past her house, contact her and attempt to give her letters, that she contacted the police and he was arrested.

Gunn and the victim’s relationship ‘was only minorly intimate’ in the short time they spent dating after meeting on the Hinge app

Gunn was released on bail conditions not to contact the victim, but the court heard how she had subsequently seen him filming her from his home as she walked past and approached her at Costa Coffee in the town.

Appearing in court to give a victim impact statement, she told magistrates: ‘I consistently look over my shoulder wherever I go. I feel like now I always have to be on high alert wherever I am.

‘He is huge and he has a severe mental health problem. He could have done anything to me at any moment and he still could.

‘I do not know what else he is capable of doing, whether this torment will ever end. I worry I will not feel safe in my own town again.

‘This has put me off dating completely at this time. I am scared to meet anyone who could act the same way towards me.

‘The things that played on my mind the most and my biggest worry throughout those moments of torment was if he was going to hurt me or even kill me and what would happen to my son. As a mother, this is the worst thought.’

Magistrates decided Gunn’s offence of stalking involving fear of violence between August 1, 2023, and February 14 this year – which he had admitted – was so serious that it needed to be sent to the Crown Court for sentence.

Gunn was remanded in custody until a date to be confirmed, on the basis he might commit further offences if he was released.

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