A STALKER led his ex-partner to sleep in her car - and ordered her to drive him around Shoebury in a campaign of abuse.

Ozan Dereli has been spared jail after admitting stalking involving fear of violence following the breakdown in the relationship.

The 44-year-old of Elm Road, Shoebury, stepped up his stalking of the woman in December last year.

Southend Crown Court heard how he would order her to drive him and demand the use of her phone, and when he didn't get what he wanted would abuse her more.

At one point, a school had to call the police when he took the couple's children off the woman and took them into school himself.

Prosecuting, Stuart Dingle told the court: "When in the car and she refused to drop him off he spat in her face.

"He punched her to the nose and said 'you're lucky it wasn't a proper one or it wouldn't have a face left'.

READ MORE: 

"At 10pm he went up to her address while she was away and was abusive and aggressive to the mother and saying she should return immediately and give him use of her phone.

"The mum called her and told her not to come home.

"She ended up having to sleep in her car that night."

Mr Dingle said the next morning the woman managed to return to the home without Dereli noticing, but when he realised she'd returned, attacked and damaged her car and the police were called.

He continued: "On December 7 she was waiting outside the children's school and he approached and took the child into school. He was drunk at the time."

Dereli also forced the woman to withdraw £48 of her child support from a cash point, but she fled after and was assisted by a bus driver and an off-duty police officer.

Mitigating, John Oliver said that Dereli had been unable to get over the breakdown in the relationship, but now wants to move on.

He said: "He wants to turn things around and improve the relationship with his children and he is ashamed of what happened."

Recorder Noel Casey gave Dereli a nine month suspended prison sentence and 40 days rehabilitation.