Harassment Warning Advice

[admac88]

Hi All, I am new and hoping for some advice on something I have been unable to find an answer to anywhere. I received a harassment warning 3 months ago during a breakup with my ex girlfriend, at the time I was incredibly emotional and in my eyes fighting to save our relationship. The warning was given to me after she called the police to stop me from calling her and showing up at her flat, I only did this because she refused to let me know if she was moving back to Australia and I now know that she has moved back there. 3 months on and I can clearly see the mistakes that were made by me both during the relationship and the breakup, I would love to send her a letter or email just explaining that I understand and am sorry and also explaining some of the reasons why we had problems in our relationship (I have since discovered that I may suffer from PTSD from a previous traumatic relationship which left me sensitive and liable to suppress my emotions during difficult times). I am worried if I do contact her that there is a chance she will report me to the police for contacting her after the warning has been issued. If this happens am I likely to be charged with harassment even if I only send one email/letter? I am heartbroken at the way things ended and feel it could all easily be resolved with a little civil communication, this would allow me the closure that I feel I need and deserve to be able to move on. Many thanks in advance for your advice.

[jaguarsuk]

Don't write to her as yes if she reported you then you could be interviewed and charged for Harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

If it helps you to write down what you want to say then do it, but just keep it to yourself and if in the future your paths ever cross amicably you could reveal what you wrote at that stage.

Other than that, move on and use this experience to make sure your future relationship pans out better. She's literally the other side of the world from you getting on with her life and you should do the same.

[Glassman68]

Hi
I’m new on here but could use some advice please? I’ve been divorced from my ex wife for nearly 2 years now, it was a messy divorce, she had an affair and when confronted with the facts she changed to someone completely different, kept calling the police at every opportunity, I lost loads of weight through it, she changed the locks, ransomed my belongings until I returned the family car, made me very ill eventually I moved out somewhere where she wouldn’t find me and a good friend nursed me back to full health, then 2 weeks ago she was asking her 2 grown up children where I lived as they still visit me, I was petrified because I know from experience she’ll try and cause trouble sending the police around, I recently emailed her twice, the first time it was a polite email asking why she was asking for my address? Her reply was I’m going to report you for harassment, the second email I was quite angry after she said I was deluded,the email wasn’t threatening, but I did swear at her a couple of times, I have since found out she’s reported me twice, also they visiting her twin sister because of my ex’s lie, the twin hasn’t spoken to her for 2 years now.
Ive reassured her daughter who visits me that I will not contact her mum again, I work as a Security Officer and read about these so called harassment warnings.
What would happen if I’m issued one? And if I do not agree to sign it? Will it affect my current job? I would appreciate any advice about this, as yet again I’m panicking about my work and my appetite has gone right out of the window again.

[jaguarsuk]

Assuming that you emailed your ex politely to enquire about her reasons for wanting your address, she responded aggressively/abusively and you responded in turn then she has no right to report harassment.

If that is indeed the case and the police present you with a Harassment Warning you should refuse to sign it as being inaccurate and inform the police that a person committing Harassment can't themselves claim to be harassed.

You might also wish to consider applying to the court for a non-molestation order under the Family Law Act 1996 to prevent her from attempting to contact you in future.

[des8]

The trouble with harassment Warnings (or Police Information Notices)is that even if you decline to sign (or even take the document) a record of it is made and it could appear on an enhanced DBS check.
The record will include details of the allegation(s), but no mention of any rebuttal you may make.
They are an easy way for the police to dispose of the matter without having to carry out any investigation at all, but they leave the recipient effectively found guilty without a trial
If you are given a HW i would recommend immediately obtaining legal advice with a view to making an official complaint.
Depending on the circumstances the solicitor might then request a full investigation or removal from police records.
failure of the police to do this and you complain to IPCC followed by a judicial review