Woman who fitted Apple AirTag on her ex's van is convicted of stalking

A suspicious estranged wife has admitted to stalking her ex by secretly fitting an Apple AirTag on his van to 'prove he was working' while refusing to pay child support, a court has heard. 

Claire Dent, 49, was in the midst of a divorce with her husband Paul when for two months she used the 'invasive' £30 device to carry out surveillance and 'gather evidence'.

The mother-of-one checked it every day and repeatedly showed up wherever he was, leaving her ex 'living in a state of anxiety', Southampton Magistrates' Court heard.

Her secret surveillance campaign came to an end when Mr Dent discovered the gadget when he spotted a strange green wire wrapped around the front grille of their shared van. 

Mrs Dent was going through a 'difficult' and 'protracted' split with Mr Dent when she made the 'very foolish' decision to fit the device to his van, magistrates were told.

She pleaded guilty to one charge of stalking without causing fear or distress and will be sentenced next year. 

Have YOU been stalked with an AirTag? Email matt.strudwick@mailonline.co.uk 

Mrs Dent had fitted the device to their shared van at the start of November last year.

The couple were going through a lengthy divorce and she had been advised that she was in a 'difficult position' when it came to proving that Mr Dent - who runs a property maintenance business - was doing additional work.

She wanted to prove he was working whilst allegedly claiming benefits and refusing to pay any child support or contribute to their shared mortgage.

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The pair have one son, who is now an adult, and they ran a business together whilst they were married but it closed as a result of their ongoing divorce.

Mr Dent uncovered the tracker just after Christmas when he spotted a strange green wire wrapped around the front grille of the van and once he unravelled it he discovered it was attached to an Apple AirTag.

Mrs Dent would appear while he was out on jobs across Hampshire in Eastleigh and Gosport.

Prosecutor Anisa Alrubaie told the court that Mr Dent was fitting a spotlight to the van on December 29 last year when he noticed the wire.

She said: 'He came to the realisation that the defendant had been using the tracker to take a course of action against him.'

Ms Alrubaie also summarised Mr Dent's victim impact statement and described him as 'living in a state of anxiety' since the stalking.

'Firstly, the surveillance and harassment has taken a significant toll on his emotional wellbeing, there has been a great decline in his mental state,' she said.

'He now finds himself living in a state of anxiety and fear, he has a sense of unease at all times.

'The stalking has had an affect on his relationships and family, he worries constantly about their safety and wellbeing.

'There is also the lasting damage this has caused to his relationship with his son.'

Mitigating, defence lawyer Kevin Hill said that Mrs Dent, of Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, recognised her behaviour had been 'very foolish' and that she was 'extremely anxious' to be in court.

He said: 'It is a serious matter, that is a very invasive act which she very deeply regrets and understands the impact that would have had.

'This happened during very protracted divorce proceedings, you will understand there are two sides in any relationship.

'At the time she was at a very low point, she was represented at the time and she was advised that she was in a difficult position.

'She came up with the idea of fitting the device to the van to see if he was going to visit clients they had built together.

'It was a very foolish thing to do, at 49 she has found herself in the criminal court.'

Dent, who has no previous convictions, will be sentenced on January 8, 2025.