A rejected mum hired a private investigator to track down her ex-partner and send him Valentine’s Day cards.

Katie McMahon stalked the couple and bombarded them with nasty calls and emails, including while they were on their honeymoon, when she made derogatory and abusive comments about the bride.

The 51-year-old’s harassment started on April 1, 2024 until her arrest on March 4, after matters came to a head when her former husband received two Valentine’s Day cards - one at his home address and one at work - through the post, despite him moving to get away from her.

McMahon, of Dock Head Road, Chatham, was later charged and admitted stalking when she appeared in court in July. She returned to Medway Magistrates’ Court on September 25 to learn her fate.

Alan Balneaves, prosecuting, told District Judge William Nelson that McMahon didn’t have any previous convictions, but did have a caution for criminal damage in relation to the same victim.

He said: “The couple got together in 2011 and had a daughter, but they separated in 2019. He went on to get a new partner, and she became his wife.”

Judge Nelson also heard that McMahon continued her stalking campaign after the couple returned home from their honeymoon, when she would email and call her ex, making other comments about his new wife.

Mr Balneaves added: “There was a torrent of unwanted contact and he even moved [house] to avoid further contact.”

She was arrested after the Valentine’s Cards arrived.

The prosecutor added: “It was then discovered she’d hired a private investigator to find out those details [about his new address].

“She took every opportunity to contact him and gave him updates on their daughter’s life. He’s had to give up on his daughter as she [McMahon] uses her as a way to contact him.”

A victim impact statement from the man was also read out in court, which stated he was worried about the abusive behaviour and he just wanted the contact to stop.

He also revealed his wife had panic attacks about what McMahon might do.

He said: “My wife has to take a panic alarm with her [when she goes out] and she shouldn’t have to do this. She (McMahon) is nasty and obsessive.”

The victim’s new wife also wrote a victim impact statement, which said she thought about what McMahon might do every day and that she’d taken over her married life and that she’d had to have therapy because she was terrified about what McMahon might do.

Dotun Ogunfolu, defending, said his client had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and should be given credit for that.

He added: “Her pre-sentencing report highlights she understands the impact she’s now had on her former husband, and she says she was just messing about with the Valentine’s cards.

“She’d now had the realisation that his was serious, she can no longer say it was a joke.

“She’s come to terms with things out of fear that she was arrested and in court. She now sees herself as the sole carer for her autistic daughter and doesn’t want contact with him about her daughter now.”

However, Judge Nelson then pointed out that the victim’s daughter did have the right to a relationship with her father.

He then told McMahon he wasn’t sending her to prison but was placing her on a community order.

Judge Nelson added: “It [her stalking] was persistent and went on for an extended period and getting a private investigator demonstrates a high degree of planning, I can’t get away from that.”

He also highlighted to McMahon that she had a caution for criminal damage against the same victim, but that he accepted she now had some recognition of her criminal behaviour in the pre-sentence report, but that she lacked remorse. He also acknowledged she had been diagnosed with OCD.

He added: “You became obsessed with your [former] partner, but I do give you credit for your early guilty plea.”

As a result, he placed McMahon on a 12-month community order, which will see her complete 15 rehabilitation sessions and carry out 40 hours of unpaid work.

She was also issued a two-year restraining order banning her from contacting her former husband and his wife or going to their property or posting anything about the couple on social media.

McMahon was also ordered to pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs, and will pay what she owes in full within 56 days.