Southampton man convicted for stalking campaign against a woman

“I knew something was wrong, but I wanted so much for it not to be. It almost felt like a bad dream.”

Those are the impactful words of a woman in her 20s who was subjected to a stalking campaign by Johnson Kubelabo in April earlier this year in the Southampton area.

Today (Friday 16 June) Johnson Kaboi Kubelabo, 26, of Brunswick Place, Southampton appeared at Southampton Crown Court and was sentenced to two years in prison.

The court heard how Kubelabo had started his campaign of stalking against the woman on Monday 6 March; which began as he follower her along her commute across the City to her place of work.

This fixated, obsessive pattern of behaviour continued over a number of weeks with the victim become increasingly hyper-vigilant that someone may be following her.

The court heard how he would always be following the victim from behind, never in front, and that there was significant evidence that he had been recording his actions on his mobile phone.

The woman told investigators that she would often look at shop windows during her commute and see Kubelabo behind her, causing significant alarm and distress.

It was after this incident that she began to be more aware that she was being followed by Johnson Kubelabo on a regular basis on her way into work during the early mornings. She even altered the times she would leave her address – but still would encounter Kubelabo following her.

The behaviour escalated when he followed her back to her home address one evening. As the victim attempted to enter her property, Kubelabo followed her in to the communal area and spoke to her claiming he was trying to locate a friend's address.

In her Victim Personal Statement, of this incident, she stated: “I felt this had escalated and I was really scared. I started to worry as he now knew my route to work and my route home. Once Inside my flat, I was very shaken up…I had in my bathroom and text my housemate and boyfriend as I was scared to be on my own.”

She continued to say on the impact of Kubelabo’s actions: “The culmination of all these small things have ended up having a huge impact on my life, and I don't know if I will ever feel as safe and carefree as I did before.

“I feel so frustrated that he has managed to have such an impact on me and my life throughout this time. I am furious that someone that I have only interacted with verbally twice has had such an impact on me and my routine and will continue to affect me, probably for the rest of my life.”

Appearing at Southampton Crown Court on Friday 28 April he pleaded guilty to charges of stalking involving serious alarm and distress.

Today (16 June), appearing at the same court, Johnson Kubelabo was sentenced to two years in prison.

During this hearing, the court also heard that four offences of stalking without fear of violence were taken into consideration when imposing this sentence after this investigation revealed evidence of Johnson Kubelabo following other women in the Southampton area.

Kubelabo has also been made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and has had a restraining order enforced on him prohibiting contact with the primary victim and the other four victims identified.

Detective Constable Alex Griffey, who led the investigation, said: “Stalking is a pattern of fixated and obsessive behaviour which is repeated and unwanted, causing victims to fear violence or otherwise suffer alarm and distress. It is a dreadful and dangerous crime.

“I want to commend the victim for her bravery in firstly coming forward to report the incident to us and for her courage throughout in supporting our investigation. Her actions have allowed us to conduct a thorough and robust investigation and ensure that this predatory man is now behind bars for a significant period of time. He can no longer cause her, or others in the community, harm as a result.

“While his sentence won’t take away from the targeted ordeal that he has put the victim through over a sustained period of time, we hope that today’s news will give her some closure.

“As a Constabulary, we will continue to relentless pursue criminals and ensure that their lives, and not those of our local communities, are made a misery.

“Unfortunately, we cannot rule out that Kubelabo targeted other women during similar incidents across Southampton – specifically recording them without their consent or knowledge. I would urge anyone with concerns or suspicions to come forward.”

Not everyone who has been affected by stalking or abuse has the confidence to report to police. There are support services out there that can offer help to you, completely independent of the police, should you need support. For more information on which agencies near you can provide you with support, please visit our website: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/sh/stalking-harassment/support-victims-harassment/

As always, if you feel that you are being stalked or harassed, please call 101 or report it online. If it is an emergency, dial 999 immediately.