Ex-driving instructor Graham Mansie jailed for breaching court order protecting Maisie Relph on University of York campus

Nine days earlier magistrates in London had banned driving instructor Graham Mansie, 53, from going anywhere near his former pupil Maisie Relph, 19, as they sentenced him for stalking her online and in the real world, including in her home street, York Crown Court heard.

But he travelled 200 miles from his south London home to the University of York campus where late at night, he sat outside her flat with several blades, said Giles Bridge, prosecuting.

Maisie told Judge Simon Hickey Mansie was "obsessed" by her and his actions had given her severe anorexia and caused her panic attacks and other health problems.

“I think about what has happened every day, constantly worried and paranoid about what could happen,” she said.

“I thought things genuinely could not get any worse after the previous incidents. However, when Mr Mansie breaks a legal order just nine days after sentencing, it leaves me to question if this will ever end.”

Read about what Mansie did in Bromley here

Following the York court case, she spoke of her relief that Mansie had been jailed and her hope that she could now live a normal life.

Stalking victim Maisie Relph outside York Crown Court where her former driving instructor Graham Mansie was jailed for 20 months for breaching a restraining order.: Tom Wilkinson/PA Wire.

“Hopefully by the time he comes out he will have learnt his lesson,” said the psychology student.

She said the stress and anxiety Mansie had caused would have led to her dropping out of university but for the support of her friends, 10 of whom attended the hearing.

“I just couldn’t have done it without them,” she said. “I love York, I absolutely love York. The university has been really supportive. I think I can get my life on track, enjoy university and live the life of a 19-year-old.”

She also thanked North Yorkshire Police.

Defence solicitor advocate Graham Parkin said Mansie’s actions had cost him his decades-long career as a driving instructor, his home and everything that was in it when he was remanded following his arrest at the University of York in May.

He had “personality difficulties” which had led him to behave as he did, said the defence lawyer.

“In my judgement,” Judge Simon Hickey told Mansie: “You are a 53-year-old man who knew what you were doing. You travelled some 200 miles and you must have known the effect on her.”

He jailed Mansie for 18 months, plus making him serve the two months suspended by Bromley magistrates in April. The judge made him subject indefinitely to a restraining order, banning him entirely from York other than passing through it on a train, contacting Maisie in any way, mentioning her in any social media post, being a member of any online group or page of which she was also a member and going to any area where he believed her to be. The court heard he had previously joined her Halls of Residence WhatsApp group.

Stalker and former driving instructor Graham Mansie. Pic from North Yorkshire Police

Mansie, formerly of Beckenham, south London, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order and carrying blades in public.

Giles Bridge, prosecuting, said a flatmate of Maisie's saw Mansie sitting under a tree at 11.20pm on May 27 outside the accommodation Maisie shared with 10 other students. She alerted Maisie, who alerted university security and the police.

The authorities found Mansie rocking back and forth sobbing with "superficial" scratches on his wrists. He handed over several Stanley knife type blades he had with him.

Mr Parkin said Mansie had travelled to York after seeing social media posts about the sentencing before Bromley magistrates on May 18.

He had not approached Maisie and had "simply sat and started to self harm".