29-year-old Jared William Brown was warned numerous times to leave a Nanaimo woman alone, who he obsessed over. (NanaimoNews file photo)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

alarming harassment

Obsessed man sentenced for relentless harassment of Nanaimo woman

Oct 24, 2019 | 5:26 AM

NANAIMO — A man who wouldn’t take no for an answer will spend 18-months on probation for relentlessly harassing a Nanaimo woman with hundreds of phone calls and messages.

Jared William Brown, 29, of Victoria was sentenced at Nanaimo provincial court this week after pleading guilty to unlawfully being in a dwelling, criminal harassment and breaching court ordered conditions.

Crown prosecutor Catherine Hagen said disturbing events over the course of two years began when Brown met a 31-year-old woman at a Nanaimo house party in December, 2016.

The pair had a one-night stand, with the victim believing it would be the last time she’d see Brown.

The feeling was not mutual, court was told.

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“Between Sept. 2017 and May 2018 she received calls and texts from midnight to 4 a.m. and her mother said the same thing, sort of a night-time calling pattern,” Hagen said. “Sometimes she’d have 95 missed calls.”

Brown got the victim’s cell phone number from a friend after she ignored his Facebook messages. No threats were ever made to the victim in the many texts and phone calls she received.

She reached out to police in April, 2018 to have Brown stop contacting her.

Hagen said the victim, who NanaimoNewsNOW chose not to identify, called police in April, 2018 to have Brown stop contacting her.

At the time, Brown apologized and told police he didn’t want to jeopardize his future with his behaviour.

One month later he started contacting the victim again. He’d call, hang up and send text messages. Throughout the two years he also wrote love songs for the victim and said he wanted to marry her.

The harassment escalated on June 25, 2018, just after 4 a.m., when Brown used an unlocked door to enter the victims home where she lived with her mother.

Brown was discovered sitting in a foyer chair.

The mother called police and Brown was arrested outside the home.

Brown was released with numerous conditions, including no contact orders to the victim, her mother and brother.

He contacted the victim as recently as April, 2019.

Crown prosecutor Hagen said Brown previously harassed another woman in a similar fashion.

Brown’s lawyer Tom Morino said substance abuse and underlying health issues were definite factors at play.

Court was told a doctor at Cowichan District Hospital in Duncan said Brown has eccentric and delusional beliefs.

“He’s at fault, 100 per cent I accept that,” Morino said. “But he just wants the court to understand…He was hoping to read into various messages things that weren’t there.”

Morino said his client misinterpreted the victim, including a heart emoji accidentally sent to Brown, which was in fact intended for her boyfriend.

A conditional discharge was requested by Morino, which would remove the case off of Brown’s criminal record if he obeyed his probationary terms.

Judge Ronald Webb rejected the request. He said the nature of the offences could warrant jail time, but also noted Brown’s mental state had to be considered.

“It’s just too much, too long, too many messages, too many warnings…too many opportunities to simply leave somebody alone,” Judge Webb said.

Brown’s 18-month probationary term includes no contact orders, ongoing psychiatric care and no drug use.

He did not formally address the court, but said he has no reason to be in Nanaimo.

Brown’s only prior criminal record is a frivolous marijuana possession charge in Nova Scotia in 2012.

The victim’s brother told NanaimoNewsNOW he hopes their family never hears from Brown again.

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