A woman has been left a prisoner in her own home after her stalker ex-boyfriend was spared jail. Tanya Amies, 30, said she felt sick after Ryan Hall was given a suspended sentence for incidents that left her "frightened" to go to work.
Hall, 36, had previously admitted assaulting Tanya and had a restraining order imposed not to contact her or visit the home they once shared. He was given a 21-month sentence suspended for 18 months, unpaid work and a fresh restraining order earlier this month after appearing at King's Lynn Crown Court in Norfolk.
Victim's Fear and Distress
Miss Amies, previously of Aylsham, Norfolk, said Hall's sentence was disappointing and she is still fearful to leave her home. The healthcare assistant said: "When I heard the verdict, I felt sick. The sentence Hall received is disappointing. He had broken the [previous] restraining order in place on multiple occasions - hence the reason the stalking case occurred."
"I used to suffer from really bad flashbacks. At night I would wake up every two hours to check all the windows and doors to make sure they were secure. I haven't left the house since he was sentenced."
Court Proceedings
King's Lynn Crown Court heard former retail worker Hall had earlier admitted stalking Miss Amies for three months after the couple separated in February last year. Pamela Muniya, prosecuting, said he turned up at Miss Amies' home and workplace, sent abusive messages, continually tried to contact her and posted material about her online.
Mrs Muniya said he had caused Miss Amies "significant fear and distress", which affected her ability to work or feel safe in her own home. The prosecutor added his conduct had also had "a severe psychological impact" on Miss Amies, who has suffered flashbacks, panic attacks and been diagnosed with PTSD.
Victim's Ordeal
Miss Amies said: "Where I lived, I couldn't leave without walking past the pub. He would sit there and he knew I couldn't go out of my flat without passing him. He also waited outside my work. I was frightened to go to work and my manager ended up giving me three weeks off." She said Hall would message her friends, calling her a liar and do live streams on Facebook about how he missed her.
Miss Amies added: "It hurts feeling imprisoned within your own home and with someone saying all this stuff about you, especially when your work is caring for members of the public."
Previous Assault
Mrs Muniya said Hall had a previous conviction for battery against Miss Amies on February 2, 2025, and he stalked her after an order had been imposed not to contact her or attend her address. Aged 17 when she first met Hall, Miss Amies said there had been red flags throughout their relationship, but they culminated in one of many assaults she claims she was subjected to.
She explained: "He took a thrill in taking control of the situation. If something wasn't done the way he wanted, he would retaliate and hit out. It was a typical cycle of abuse. He would apologise and promise he'd be better. But each time the cycle would get shorter."
Miss Amies called the police on February 2, 2025, after Hall repeatedly slapped her in the flat they shared. He later admitted assaulting her at Norwich Magistrates' Court. A restraining order was imposed preventing him from contacting Tanya or returning to the flat, save for one visit accompanied by a police officer to collect his belongings.
Mitigation and Sentence
Lynne Shirley, in mitigation for Hall, said he accepted responsibility for the stalking and was genuinely remorseful. She added: "He has been very clear that he wants to move on and has no desire to resume contact." Hall appeared on April 14 at Norwich Crown Court for trial over the offence of stalking but pleaded guilty at the last moment.
He was ordered to carry out 150 hours' unpaid work, pay £500 costs and given a seven-year restraining order not to contact Miss Amies. Recorder Harris said a campaign of stalking would often result in an immediate custodial sentence, while the fact he had offended while an order was in place not to contact his victim was "a significant aggravating factor".
The judge added he had to weigh up other factors such as the risk of reoffending, the prospect of rehabilitation and whether the sentence could be suspended. Hall was warned he faced being jailed if he committed any further offences during that time. Miss Amies described the sentence as "an absolute joke" and urged others to speak out.
