A stalker who breached a restraining order has been jailed after new forensic technology was found on his clothes.
Grease which shows up under ultra-violet (UV) light was placed on windows at the victim’s home in Ashford after reports a man had been seen there.
Police applied the substance and helped snare the suspect after tests found it on his clothing after he was arrested.
It was first reported he was breaching a restraining order following his release from prison.
The order was imposed against him on April 10 following a conviction for stalking offences.
After being notified, officers responded and made attempts to locate and arrest the man, who had fled the scene.
On April 18, officers found him once again at the victim’s address and he was arrested.
Tests on a body warmer he was wearing showed traces of the forensic grease which had been applied to the window of the victim’s address.
Marley Edmed, 25, formerly of Laurens Van Der Post Way, was charged with two counts of breaching a restraining order and jailed for 46 weeks after admitting both offences at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on April 19.
Det Insp Zoe Wilczek said: “Our number one priority is protecting victims of stalking, harassment and domestic violence and we will use any means open to us to achieve this.
“I believe this case is the first in the county in which this forensic grease has been used in a domestic abuse investigation, strengthening the case which secured a conviction at court, and I am pleased it has helped us swiftly charge this repeat offender and put him behind bars.
“We now know this forensic marking method of protection is effective and we will continue to utilise it in domestic abuse and stalking safeguarding methods.”
It comes as officers continue to support Stalking Awareness Week, a week-long national campaign run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which began on Monday.
The aim is to highlight the behaviours that amount to stalking and the effect that it has on people, to hold offenders to account and safeguard victims.
