A FORMER member of North Yorkshire Police has been convicted of harassing his wife and sentenced.

Christopher Paul Shearing, 46, was a police community support officer until he resigned last year, York Magistrates’ Court heard.

He pleaded guilty to harassing his wife between February 2 and March 18 this year.

The court heard that Shearing, who lives near York, disregarded bail conditions during the offence.

Melanie Ibbotson, prosecuting, said his actions had distressed his wife so much she had to take sick leave from her job.

“She simply wants the defendant to leave her alone,” said the prosecutor.

In a police statement, the wife said: “The defendant is a quiet person who can be charming and manipulative. Behind closed doors he can be aggressive and cruel. He can be unpredictable and he has a drink problem.”

Ms Ibbotson said the wife suggested Shearing’s drinking had led to arguments and police being called.

The harassment was having a “huge impact” on the wife, who told police that as a result, she had to carry out “risk assessments” when doing activities such as going for a bike ride, the court heard.

She also felt his actions had changed her.

For Shearing, Lee-Anne Robins-Hicks said: “He should have known better because of his role (in the police).

“There has been a perfect storm that has surrounded Mr Shearing for the last two years.”

The offence happened at a time when he was struggling emotionally and his mental health had declined since 2018.

He had been frustrated by problems with the sale of the marital home, added Ms Robins-Hicks.

“It combined to contribute to his state of distress and upset,” she said.

York magistrates made Shearing subject to a 12-month community order with 200 hours’ unpaid work and 30 days’ rehabilitative activities.

They also made a restraining order which bans him for five years from contacting his wife or going to her home or any address where he believes her to be living.

They warned him about the order: “It should be treated with a lot more respect than you did the bail conditions.”

The couple are divorcing, the court heard.

Ms Ibbotson said on February 2, the wife was at home in the early evening when she received a text message from Shearing.

In it he called her the “love of his life” and said he was sorry that she doesn’t feel the same way about him.

At 1am she got a missed call from him that she didn’t respond to.

On March 17, he was outside her property.

Mrs Robins-Hicks said when he turned up at the wife’s home, Shearing was aware she was not in and was wanting to contact her father.

The text message was not threatening, she said.