A pensioner from London has appeared in court after attaching an Airtag to the car of who he mistakenly believed to be a possible love interest of his partner. 68-year-old Martin Waters, of Fashoda Road in Bromley, appeared before Isle of Wight Magistrates on Tuesday afternoon and admitted stalking without fear/alarm/distress. Prosecuting, Munayah Hassan explained to the court that, in September 2023, Waters attached an Apple Airtag to a Volvo that was parked outside a house in Cowes, believing that the Swedish motor belonged to someone that his partner may have been having an affair with. After several weeks of monitoring the movements of the male and his partner, the vehicle owner noticed through digital software that an Airtag was following his location. Having found the item underneath their car, he reported it to the Police. After investigating the matter, Police visited Waters at his home address in London on 2nd October 2023, finding the iPhone used to track the AirTag. In interview, Waters admitted that he had himself placed the tracking device on the vehicle. The court heard how during the period of the offence, Waters searched on the electoral register and 192.com to try and find who lived in the house. It was also noted that the 68-year-old searched for things such as ‘what is the best way to track a car’ and ‘what is the penalty for tracking someone’ after it came to light he had been rumbled. In a victim personal statement, which was read aloud in court, the victims in the case said that they can still recall the incident as if it was yesterday and that they have considered upgrading the security measures at their home following the incident. Defending, Philip McGhee told the court that Waters was anxious, insecure and paranoid and that he wanted to know if his partner was cheating on him. He also added that he didn’t know at the time that the car did in fact belong to the victims. Despite deliberations between the defence and the prosecution over the basis of Waters’ plea, Magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report be compiled ahead of the next court hearing on 14th June.
COURT APPEARANCE FOR MAN WHO USED AIRTAG TO TRACK WHO HE THOUGHT WAS GIRLFRIEND’S LOVER
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Should have got a private investigators license, then it would have all been legal.
It’s not punishment this guy needs,it’s psychological help.
Stalking at his age,has he got a screw loose??
Both parties seem to be dodgy,victim – noticed through digital software that an Airtag was following his location. Having found the item underneath their car. Best we all check our car’s then!
Who hasn’t checked 192.com or electoral role/ Facebook or even phone directory etc. Sure police and Courts have more pressing and serious cases to deal with. He’s been named and shamed, probably lost his partner and job too
The man is 68 so is probably retired!
This is weird. I wonder how many people are currently being tracked and don’t know it?
We are all being tracked every day weather we know it or not, like it or not.
Apparently big brother is legal and acceptable.
Would have been better tracking her phone, plenty of apps available. Only saying.
It’s called CCTV and we’re doing nothing wrong. The term they use is Security. If we do it, it’s called Stalking and is punishable. 🙂
I do stalking but I’m very careful not to be seen no one can catch me no even old vc hahaha
Still not me you can’t spell and you don’t make no sense you strange old fart I’m not a kid to be played with
Haha comedian
He may have gone about it slightly wrong, but in his defence his partner was seeing someone else and didn’t have the courage to tell him. This happened to me also and it’s true, you’re always the last one to know. It does make you feel anxious, insecure and paranoid. You want answers as to why after what appeared to be so many good years it had to end this way, not psychiatric help. For me, I was young enough to put it behind and start again. For him, it could be too late to rekindle another partnership. But for those who have never been dumped on like this, you’ll never get it… But what we have really learned from all this? Apparently a Volvo is a Swedish motor car. Well who would have guessed? Vorsprung ABBA Technik…;)