A mum-of-three has told how she was subjected to a terrifying eight-month stalking ordeal by her ex-boyfriend - who even faked his own suicide to manipulate her.

Lindy Muirhead, from Whitstable, ended her tumultuous two-year relationship with Ben Terrell in August 2023, hoping to never see or hear from him again.

But instead of walking away, the 39-year-old from Ashford launched a relentless campaign of harassment that left his former partner living in constant fear.

Through a barrage of abusive texts, voicemails and emails, Terrell hurled insults, threatened to burn down her house, and even posed as a friend to falsely claim he had taken his own life - all in an attempt to make Ms Muirhead feel guilty for leaving him.

But the former chef - who admitted stalking his terrified ex - was spared jail after his lawyer argued his cannabis abuse was partly to blame.

Speaking to KentOnline following the hearing, Ms Muirhead said she met Terrell through an online dating service and, at first, he seemed “nice enough”.

“But after a while, I noticed his personality changing,” she recalled.

“I think he’s a narcissist, and that’s what they tend to do - love-bomb you at first and make you feel special, and then slowly their true colours are revealed.”

After the breakup, the abuse quickly escalated, with Terrell sending repeated threats and even using a mobile app to mask his number after Ms Muirhead blocked him.

“He sent numerous voicemails, texts and emails, and called the victim many abusive names such as **** and whore,” prosecutor Ben Wild told the court.

“He made threats to kill her and burn her house down.”

In one message, Terrell wrote: “I hope your s****y hovel burns down with all of you ***** inside and you all burn and die.”

In another disturbing episode, he impersonated one of Ms Muirhead’s friends to falsely claim he had died by suicide - later sending a follow-up message calling her a “murdering ****”.

The psychological toll of the abuse was profound.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Muirhead, 46, described the severe anxiety and fear she experienced daily.

She began double-locking her doors and avoided leaving the house, worried she might encounter him.

“It was getting scary,” she said. “He was saying he was going to come to my street and my work.

“I was trying the best I could to get on with my life, but it got to the point that I was avoiding looking at my phone.”

Eventually, Ms Muirhead reported the harassment and was filled with relief when Terrell was charged and the messages finally stopped.

He made full admissions to police and in April this year pleaded guilty to stalking her between August 2023 and April 2024.

At his sentencing hearing on Friday (May 9), defence lawyer James Burke argued that Terrell’s actions were partly down to his use of cannabis and untreated mental health issues.

The court heard that during the period of offending, Terrell had stopped taking his prescribed psychosis medication, but was smoking the class B drug, which made his mental health worse.

I was trying the best I could to get on with my life, but it got to the point that I was avoiding looking at my phone…

“The psychiatric report points to mental and behavioural issues because of cannabis issues,” argued Mr Burke.

“Cannabis is clearly harmful to his mental health. The psychiatrist’s opinion is that his untreated psychosis played a significant role in his actions, and while this doesn’t absolve him of responsibility, it reduces it.

“He’s displayed appropriate remorse when he heard the recordings of what he had been saying.”

Terrell appeared anxious in the dock. Dressed in a grey suit, he could be seen sniffling throughout the proceedings.

Judge Janet Bignell KC addressed him directly as she handed down his sentence.

“In the messages to your victim, you used disgusting and disgraceful language, which would have inevitably caused incredible distress and fear,” said the judge.

"Your messages were not confined to name-calling - you made threats to kill her and to burn down her house. Indeed, to burn down her house not only with her inside, but also with her own daughters.

“You used an alternative number pretending to be a friend of yours, Zara, and in those messages, you pretended that you had killed yourself and that Zara was passing on that information and blaming Ms Muirhead.

“You were seeking to make her feel guilty in circumstances where the only person who should have been feeling guilty was you.

“The expert was clear that this was not a case where you were incapable of forming a specific intent, but your action may have been influenced by your cannabis misuse and your mental health.

“I consider that a sentence of imprisonment would do more damage than good. I am persuaded there is a realistic prospect of your rehabilitation in the community.

“But I must be very clear - your offending is entirely dreadful, entirely unwarranted, but I consider that the best way to help you put that behind you and to help society is through rehabilitation in your case.

“When you take drugs, you lose control and you do terrible things. You must not take drugs.”

Terrell, of Cade Road, was handed a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He must also complete 40 rehabilitation activity requirement sessions over the next year, focusing on healthy relationships, and pay £200 in compensation to Ms Muirhead.

Despite the conviction, his victim feels justice was not served.

“He should have been sent to jail, but I knew he wasn’t going to be - they’re overcrowded,” she said.

Asked what advice she would give others facing harassment and stalking, she said: “Get away and contact the police.

“If anyone is in a relationship and sees red flags, get out - you’re better off alone.”