A stalker who wore a Spiderman mask while leaving a package at the home of his victim has pleaded guilty at court.
Mason Rogers, 22, of Marsden Road, Eastbourne, targeted the woman with a series of unwanted presents over a 10-month period at her home in Hailsham in Sussex.
On one occasion, in August, the woman’s doorbell camera caught the man wearing the mask while dropping off a package in birthday wrapping baby that included a book based on a TV programme they liked as a child.
It also contained a card that read “happy six months and seventeen days since”. A QR code in the card also contained a link to a segment of a TV programme called My Stalker.
Appearing at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Friday, Rogers admitted a charge of stalking involving serious alarm and distress.
Sussex Police say the campaign started in February last year when Rogers left a limited-edition Valentine’s Day figurine in a bag outside the victim’s address.
In December, Rogers left a further package with a doorbell camera and another camera to install inside the house. A card read ‘happy ten months and sixteen days since you found out you had a stalker”.
After identifying Rogers as a suspect, police search his home and found the victim’s name and headphones matching those worn by the person in the CCTV footage.
There was also a diary that contained notes about the victim and information on her personal life, including ideas for further gifts he planned to buy her.
After arrest, Rogers gave no comment while being interviewed. He will be sentenced at the end of the month.
Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Lewis said: “The behaviour of Mason Rogers was deeply concerning. Despite not being known to the victim at all, the parcels he left showed knowledge of her including her home address, her birthday, and things she liked when she was a child.
“The victim was understandably distressed and I’d like to commend the strength and bravery she showed in reporting this to police.”
The force said it was committed to investigating instances of stalking, supporting and safeguarding victims, while pursuing offenders.
This is a breaking story – more to follow