by Joe Walker

joewalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

A stalker who harassed and followed a "frightened" student for four months has been banned from the city centre.

Obsessed David Ward, 53, was hit with a restraining order by magistrates after he admitted subjecting Afua Boake-Ansah to the terrifying ordeal.

The court heard the 20-year-old had been left frightened and paranoid after Ward constantly waited outside her workplace and followed her home.

When she plucked up the courage to challenge him, he said: "It's not as if I'm going to hurt you - I just think you're really attractive."

Jobless Ward, of Summer Lees Cottages, Hernhill, was prosecuted under new anti-stalking laws and banned from going into Canterbury city centre at weekends, where Miss Boake-Ansah works as a desk clerk at Fenwicks.

He was ordered not to contact her in any way, follow her or go near her home in Martyr's Field Road, Wincheap.

He had initially denied harassment but changed his plea to guilty on the day of the trial earlier this month.

Evelyn Hawkins, prosecuting, told the court how Ward's obsession with the student began in June last year and continued through to the end of October, when he was arrested.

She said: "Miss Boake-Ansah first noticed Mr Ward while working at Fenwick at weekends.

"He was outside the shop and walked in the same direction when she left.

"The next day he was outside again and followed her through the Dane John Gardens, which she thought was a bit unusual.

"The next weekend she met her boyfriend in the Dane John Gardens and he was sitting on a bench and followed them both.

"At that point her boyfriend spoke to him but unfortunately it didn't stop and it continued every weekend.

"At one stage she had the courage to speak to him but he said 'you're a kid, you don't understand'.

"Another time she told him it was freaking her out but he said he wasn't going to hurt her."

Mrs Hawkins said the student warned Ward she would report him to the police if he continued to follow her.

But on October 31 she saw him again at the train station, where he said to her: "I want a word with you. You shouted at me.

"I'll tell your boyfriend that I see you with a different bloke each time."

When she saw him again outside the store, she went to the police station to report it and he even followed her there and waited outside.

Neighbours told her they had also seen Ward in the street where she lived.

In a victim statement, Miss Boake-Ansah said the stalking had completely changed the way she lived her life, making her wary of going out and paranoid.

Before sentencing at Ashford magistrates' court on Monday, defence solicitor Max Reeves said Ward had recognised his behaviour had caused distress to Miss Boake-Ansah.

He said: "Mr Ward has lived a very solitary life since he was young. He's always been a loner and had a very troubled upbringing in terms of bullying.

"He has now come to terms with the fact his behaviour was unacceptable and would have caused upset and distress.

"He will absolutely not have any further contact with Miss Boake-Ansah. He knows how serious the consequences are."

As well as the restraining order, Ward will put under 12 months supervision and must pay £300 compensation to Miss Boake-Ansah.