A jilted partner who conducted a campaign of intimidation against his former lover when she refused to take him back has been convicted of stalking.
Peter Sorrell, 65, threw rocks, eggs and other items at Julie Metcalfe’s home when their four-year affair ended.
He also daubed words such as ‘slapper’, and ‘sex for sale’ on her house during late night raids.
Ms Metcalfe also received ‘bizarre’ letters and messages, falsely sent under the names of other people including Sorrell’s ex-wife, warning she was causing ‘suffering’ to a ‘good man’.
Others threatened her, with comments such as ‘bitch is going to burn’.
The claims were denied by Sorrell – who told the court he wanted to be referred to as Lord Peter Sorrell.
He also carried a copy of the 1215 Magna Carta throughout the six-day trial and argued about the court’s legal jurisdiction – prompting Judge Anthony Bate to slap the defendant down at one point and say: ‘This is my courtroom. I will prevail in this courtroom.’
But the jury took just two-and-a-half hours to find Sorrell guilty of putting a person in fear of violence by stalking between December 22, 2019 and November 19, 2020, and four breaches of a non-molestation order made by the Family Court in November 2019 and committed between March and November 2020.
Peter Sorrell, 65, brought a copy of the Magna Carta to Norwich Crown Court during his trial for stalking a former partner
Sorrell – who asked to be called Lord Peter Sorrelll – insisted the court had no jurisdiction over the case
Sorrell, 65, continued his lone protests against the court’s jurisdiction as the verdicts were read out, stating: ‘I do not recognise the authority of this court.’
The father-of-three, who represented himself during the trial, said he would be appealing the conviction and wanted the relevant forms to do so.
Judge Bate told him that was a separate matter that he would have to take up directly with the Court of Appeal in London.
He also gave ‘strong advice’ to Sorrell appoint to a legal representative for his sentencing next month, adding it would be ‘extremely helpful’ to have his medical records.
Judge Bate thanks prosecutor John Fairhead and the jurors for their ‘patience’ during the ‘unusual case’.
The defendant, a retired lorry driver who lives in a modest two-bedroom newbuild house in Bradwell, went out with his 64-year-old victim between 2014 and 2018.
When she told him the relationship was over, he couldn’t ‘accept’ the break-up and ‘begged her to take him back’, Norwich Crown Court heard.
When this failed, he started on the course of action that led to his alleged victim to ‘fear violence would be used against her’.
The father-of-three, a retired lorry driver, represented himself in court and cross-examined witnesses
Sorrell was found guilty after the six-day trial. The jury took just two-and-a-half hours to convict him on all five charges – one of stalking and four of breaching a non-molestation order
Mr Fairhead said that other items thrown at Ms Metcalfe’s house in Great Yarmouth included bricks and paint.
Paint was also used to write the graffiti on the front and back of her home, including ‘whore’ and ‘RIP, RIP’.
The defendant ‘sent her a number of letters’, some handwritten and others on Facebook, claiming to be from his ex-wife, friends and well-wishers, jurors heard.
These were ‘lengthy, rambling and, the Crown would say, frankly bizarre’ as they outlined how he was a ‘good man’, Mr Fairhead said.
He added: ‘But apart from this frankly blatant emotional blackmail, the letters became increasingly abusive and menacing.
They included a Valentine’s card with the message: ‘Happy Valentine’s Day you black widow… when I play games, I play to the end.’
Messages from the Facebook accounts of several women were also composed by the defendant, the court heard.
These had comments such as ‘you stupid bitch’, ‘you killed him, you’re responsible’ and ‘bitch is going to burn’.
Sorrell told the court he would be appealing against his conviction and asked the court for the relevant documents. Judge Anthony Bate told him he would have to approach the Court of Appeal himself
King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215 at Runnymede. The document was a landmark in English democracy that established no one is above the law.
One warned that Sorrell would ‘not see this year out if he doesn’t stop hurting himself’.
The defendant was also seen ‘wearing a wig to disguise himself’ during late night visits to his victim’s home.
Giving evidence from behind a screen, Ms Metcalfe said the messages had become ‘more and more threatening and aggressive’.
‘I began to worry for my life. It made me feel scared to be in my own home,’ she told the court.
‘My home was my safe place. It was my daughter’s safe place. But it made me realise it was no longer a place I could feel safe.’
The mother-of-three also claimed Sorrell had been sending gifts and ‘turning up at my neighbour’s door asking to send me gifts’ because he ‘refused to accept’ they were no longer together.
Referring to the letters, she said she recognised the handwriting and said of the comments they contained: ‘It’s a pattern he had been following for about a year-and-a-half.
‘He’s been trying to portray himself as a good guy and a victim in this.’
Judge Bate had to slap the defendant down at one point and say: ‘This is my courtroom. I will prevail in this courtroom.’
Finding the words ‘RIP, RIP’ scrawled on her house had ‘made me fear eventually he would kill me’.
Ms Metcalfe added: ‘It came to the point [where] I didn’t want to leave the house because I didn’t know what was going to happen.’
Sorrell tried to ‘paint himself as the victim’ when he was arrested and blamed his former wife for the graffiti.
He was initially released without charge but was later arrested for breaching the non-molestation order by being within 50m of his victim’s home, the court heard.
He had gone to a launderette that was 36m from the house, claiming it was the only one open in the area at the time.
Short, grey-haired Sorrell, who has missing teeth, wore a smart suit in court with a blue shirt and tie. He was not in the dock as he was representing himself.
At times, while addressing a witness, he threw down his pen in apparent frustration.
He also referred to the Magna Carta, leading to Judge Anthony Bate to tell him: ‘This is not an opportunity for speeches from ancient documents.’
The defendant was advised to get a lawyer to represent him when he returns to the court to be sentenced next month
Sorrell also claimed at one point that ‘legislation has no place in this court… this is a court on the law of the land’.
Judge Bate said: ‘This is my courtroom. I will prevail in this courtroom. My authority comes from legislation. Let’s move on.’
The defendant examined prosecution witness PC Natalie Smith and questioned why she had not worn a bodycam when he was arrested.
She explained the requirement to use the equipment did not come into use until several years after he was detained.
Sorrell also referred to himself in the third person to claim his ex-wife, Rachel, had committed ‘domestic violence and abuse against Mr Sorrell’.
He asked the officer: ‘Why did you refuse to help Mr Sorrell? Do you hate men or something?’
The judge told her: ‘You do not need to answer that.’
The court heard that the defendant complained in a police interview: ‘My life has been completely destroyed already. I do not give a toss if I live or die.
‘Your officers are all aware of how I feel at the moment. The police are fully aware that I have been hacked many times.’
Cross-examined by Mr Fairhead, he was asked: ‘How would you like to be called? Lord Sorrelll?’
He replied: ‘I have been advised to be sociable, so call me Peter.’
Sorrell told the prosecutor he had not sent letters and messages to Ms Metcalfe.
Asked about one incident where she received a letter warning that broken glass on her tarmac roof could cause a fire, he again denied any involvement.
‘I do not think it was Rachel. I know it was Rachel,’ he said.
Mr Fairhead told the jury the defendant had ‘pursued a course of conduct’ that caused his victim to ‘fear violence would be used against her’.
He added: ‘The Crown say all the evidence points to one person – the defendant, “Lord Peter Sorrell”.’
The Magna Carta, signed by King John at Runnymede in 1215, was a landmark document in English democracy that established that no one is above the law.
Sorrell was released on conditional bail and will be sentenced on July 25.
