Christopher Trotman (pictured above), 41, was sentenced to nine weeks in jail after he stalked his ex-girlfriend by affixing an Apple AirTag to her car

A jealous ex-boyfriend has been jailed for nine weeks for stalking after planting a covert Apple AirTag tracker on his ex-girlfriend’s car.

Christopher Paul Trotman, 41, harassed his ex with constant phone calls and questions, before ordering an AirTag on Amazon and glueing it to her rear bumper to track her every move, a court heard.

The Apple device uses a Bluetooth signal so a linked-up iPhone can find its location.

Swansea Crown Court heard how Trotman of Gwynedd Avenue, Townhill, Swansea had been in a relationship with the victim for over 10 years before it broke down in August 2020, with the woman describing his ‘controlling’ behaviour during their time together.

Prosecutor Tom Scapens said Trotman would bombard the woman with questions about her whereabouts after their break-up and even offered her money to quit her pub job, because he could not cope with her talking to other men.

Christopher Trotman (pictured above), 41, was sentenced to nine weeks in jail after he stalked his ex-girlfriend by affixing an Apple AirTag to her car's rear bumper

Christopher Trotman (pictured above), 41, was sentenced to nine weeks in jail after he stalked his ex-girlfriend by affixing an Apple AirTag to her car's rear bumper

Christopher Trotman (pictured above), 41, was sentenced to nine weeks in jail after he stalked his ex-girlfriend by affixing an Apple AirTag to her car’s rear bumper

Then, in March this year, the victim bought a new iPhone and received a notification when she got in her car asking her if she wanted to connect to an Apple AirTag.

At the time, she did not know what it meant and ignored it.

Later that month, she received a text from Trotman accusing her of sleeping with other men.

He also asked her if she had enjoyed a night out on Swansea’s Penderry Road that night, but she had no idea how he knew where she had been.

His former lover discovered what he had done after her daughter also started getting notifications on her phone about connecting to an AirTag.

An Apple AirTag (pictured above) uses a Bluetooth signal so a linked-up iPhone can find its location. Police later used the tag to locate Trotman in car park outside a pub in Swansea

An Apple AirTag (pictured above) uses a Bluetooth signal so a linked-up iPhone can find its location. Police later used the tag to locate Trotman in car park outside a pub in Swansea

An Apple AirTag (pictured above) uses a Bluetooth signal so a linked-up iPhone can find its location. Police later used the tag to locate Trotman in car park outside a pub in Swansea

A search of Trotman’s Amazon account showed he had bought a number of Apple tags the previous month and the victim decided to examine her car.

She found one of the tracking devices glued in a cavity under the rear bumper.

The police were contacted and the AirTag handed over.

Mr Scapens said: ‘He fitted the tag. He had been monitoring her movements. He had been stalking her.’

Police began to look for Trotman using the very same tracker, which would beep when it was near to his iPhone.

They found him in the car park of the Three Sisters pub in Cwmbwrla, Swansea.

At first he said, ‘This is a joke,’ before finally admitting: ‘I did track her. I still love her.’

He was interviewed and released on bail but later arrested again over allegations of witness intimidation and remanded into custody.

In an impact statement, the victim said his behaviour had left her having trouble sleeping, worried about the security of her family and feeling anxious about what he might do next and whether he had placed other devices in the house.

Swansea Crown Court heard about Trotman's 'controlling' behaviour and how he had previously offered to pay the victim money for her to quit her bar job, because he could not cope with her speaking to other men

Swansea Crown Court heard about Trotman's 'controlling' behaviour and how he had previously offered to pay the victim money for her to quit her bar job, because he could not cope with her speaking to other men

Swansea Crown Court heard about Trotman’s ‘controlling’ behaviour and how he had previously offered to pay the victim money for her to quit her bar job, because he could not cope with her speaking to other men

She said she tried to keep busy and not think about what happened but that it ‘hits her’ when she is alone.

Trotman pleaded guilty of stalking and recorder David Harris sentenced him to nine weeks in prison.

He was also slapped with a restraining order banning him from contacting his ex.

Judge Harris told Trotman he had stalked and effectively harassed his former partner and said that his behaviour in buying, fitting and using the tracking device had required a high degree of planning.

The prosecution decided not to pursue the witness intimidation charge and offered no evidence in that matter, and a formal not guilty verdict was recorded.

The court heard he is expected to be released immediately due to serving time behind bars while on remand.

His lawyer Andrew Evans said he had reflected upon his behaviour since being remanded in custody on June 8 and realised it had been ‘misguided in the extreme’ and had had a serious impact on his partner and children.

Trotman, who worked as a self-employed shopfitter, has eight previous convictions for 17 offences including for ‘serious violence’ though these were said to be ‘of some antiquity’.

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