A model who suffered an 18-month campaign of harassment from her ex-boyfriend has said she has considered changing her looks to escape him after he warned: ‘I have your life in my hands now’.
Dagmara Kita, 25, from Manchester, was bombarded with threatening messages, had her bank account hacked and saw her car vandalised twice after leaving Nicholas Doyle over his erratic behaviour in 2019.
The jilted ex called Miss Kita up to 61 times in the space of just an hour, while also keeping tabs on her diary and movement.
On one occasion hacked into her bank account and spent enough money to send Miss Kita into her overdraft.
In a statement to police, Miss Kita said: ‘I cannot have a normal life as he is trying to scare me. I have lost weight and wanted to change my appearance to avoid being recognised.’
Doyle, from Rochdale, was eventually arrested and this week jailed for two years after admitting to a charge of harassment.
Dagmara Kita was bombared with threatening message, had her bank account drained and saw her car windscreen smashed twice, all at the hands of her former partner, Nicholas Doyle
His arrest came after 18-months of abuse that ended when he sent a string of messages warning: ‘I am going to do s*** to your house and car as you keep ignoring me.
‘I will blast the f****** lot of it – do not f****** block me. Answer your phone, this is going to keep happening, you are making the situation worse.. There is going to be more drama and you’ll have to change your car, house and job’.
In her statement to police, Miss Kita added: ‘I have felt like moving away from the area and have never felt more scared or controlled before.
‘I am worried about what he is going to do to me.
‘He has put threats into action when he damaged my car. I am scared it will be my house next and then possibly my life.
Doyle, who has a new partner, has been jailed for two years after admitting to an 18-month campaign of harassment that forced his victim to move house – only for him to arrive at her new flat in Manchester and continue to make threats
Miss Kita told police she thought her life was in danger as Doyle continued to bombard her with calls and use fake accounts to try and follow her on social media
‘I am really scared and have had to change my daily routine as I have been scared of him turning up again.
‘His behaviour has changed my life, which I believe was in danger.
‘I am not in a stable enough financial position to move away and every time I get a message or phone call I start shaking as it brings everything back to me.’
Manchester Crown Court heard the pair had begun a relationship in 2015 but split in 2019.
Prosecutor Simon Blakeborough said: ‘She said his behaviour was aggressive, erratic and angry. From May 2019 onwards he began her making various threats. He said she would have “trouble coming her way if she tried to shut him out”.
On two occasions he smashed Miss Kita’s windscreen, causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage each time.
After fleeing her home for her down safety, Doyle tracked her down to a new address.
Doyle’s campaign of harassment saw him call his victim hundreds of times in a matter of hours, while also trying to add her on social media using fake names.
Judge Elizabeth Nicholls told Doyle: ‘There is no doubt that your conduct has had a profound impact on her, as she genuinely believed that her life was threatened and was in constant fear’
Doyle turned up to his victim’s workplace in Manchester city centre and threatened to ‘ruin her life,’ a court has heard
He also turned up at Miss Kita’s workplace in Manchester city centre threatening to ‘ruin her life,’ Mr Blakeborough told the court.
Police let Doyle off with a caution after he arrived at her new flat and started screaming through the walls.
She also received a message while away from her flat that read: ‘What a shock you weren’t at home. Do not leave your windows open next time.’
Mr Blakeborough added: ‘She received further calls from the defendant saying he had tapped her IP address and would access logins to her bank account, Snapchat and Instagram.
‘He threatened to ruin her credit score and said “I will drain your bank account”.
Doyle has been banned from contacting Miss Kita for life under a restraining order
‘When she woke up from a nap an alert on her phone told her she had gone into her overdraft and when she checked her bank account, she found transactions she did not recognise which were obviously made by the defendant.
Doyle was arrested on September last year but after being bailed, he emailed Miss Kita saying ‘I have your life at my hands now’.
He later insisted she had not been threatened and that she had ‘misinterpreted’ the messages.
In mitigation for Doyle, who has a new girlfriend, defence lawyer Adam Watkins said: ‘His remorse is genuine and heartfelt. He says he took the end of the relationship badly and turned to drugs.’
But sentencing Judge Elizabeth Nicholls told Doyle: ‘There is no doubt that your conduct has had a profound impact on her, as she genuinely believed that her life was threatened and was in constant fear.’
Doyle will be barred from contacting Miss Kita for life under the terms of a restraining order.