Met Police officer sentenced for stalking ex-girlfriend

PC Ben Bunsell "tormented" Natalie Jundo by persistently messaging, emailing and calling her, his trial heard

A Metropolitan Police officer has been sentenced for stalking his ex-girlfriend after the couple split up.

PC Ben Bunsell was convicted in December of one count of stalking without fear, alarm or distress in June last year, while off duty.

Bunsell, of Greenwich, south-east London, was sentenced to a 12-month community order.

Westminster magistrates also imposed a restraining order, and he must wear an electronic tag for three months.

'Very unpleasant'

During a one-day trial at City of London Magistrates' Court last month, it was alleged the 40-year-old "tormented" his ex-girlfriend Natalie Jundo by persistently contacting her - messaging, emailing and calling her after their relationship had ended.

District Judge Briony Clarke found Bunsell's actions "collectively amount to harassment" and that his conduct was "associated with stalking".

Bunsell sent more than 770 messages, some of them labelled "very unpleasant" by the judge, made a series of phone calls using a withheld number and sent emails to her using an unknown address, the court was told.

After sentencing, a Met spokesperson said: "Police officers are not above the law. In this case PC Benjamin Bunsell has rightly been held to account for his actions, and has been found guilty of stalking an ex-partner.

"Now that the court process has reached its conclusion, a misconduct process will begin in due course."