A relentless stalker has been snared after his victim doused him with a canister of Smartwater – enabling police to prove he had breached bail conditions. Neil Leddon, 54, has pleaded guilty to “relentlessly” stalking, harassing, and taking photos of a woman without her consent between Sunday, 3 November and Friday, 29 November last year.
Leddon was charged with stalking after the terrified woman deployed a canister of SmartWater provided by Humberside Police’s Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding Investigation Team when Leddon breached his bail conditions and followed her down her street in his vehicle before purposefully colliding with her car. SmartWater is a fluid initially designed to mark property, using unique DNA codes, so it could be identified if stolen. This same technology is now being used to allow crime victims to mark their attackers because traces of the fluid cannot be washed off or seen with the naked eye.
This week Leddon pleaded guilty to stalking, careless driving and driving without insurance at Hull Crown Court and has been bailed with conditions to appearing back at the court on June 4 for sentencing.
Det Insp Helen Collier said: “Leddon is a relentless stalker who took pictures of the woman without her consent and waited for her outside her address and workplace on multiple occasions with one ominous intention, to affect her daily life by continuously causing her fear and alarm.
“He was also seen multiple times on her CCTV walking past her address in a way to intimidate her by circling around somewhere she is supposed to feel safe and secure.
“The brave actions taken by the woman to deploy her SmartWater canister is admirable.”
The officer said SmartWater offers victims an additional safeguarding measure to make them feel safer in their homes and whilst going about their business, and was a key factor in helping the force stack up evidence against Leddon forcing him to confess to his crimes.
She added: “We know that this technology makes a real difference to victims of domestic abuse and stalking, helping them feel safer and more in control.”