Ex-Southampton, Mansfield, Chesterfield player jailed two and a half years

Ex-Southampton, Mansfield, Chesterfield player Shayne Bradley has been jailed two and a half years for stalking an ex-girlfriend.

The former footballer turned manager and coach, 41, repeatedly turned up at his victim’s address and sent abusive emails – leaving her a “shadow of her former self”, Gloucester Crown Court heard.

Bradley, who also played as a striker for the likes of Exeter City, Lincoln City, Swindon Town and Eastwood Town before retiring in 2003, admitted stalking the victim over a four-month period.

His behaviour often saw him creepily being in the area of her home, her friend’s address, whilst also making repeated telephone calls and abusive emails.

You think stalking was bad enough, the court also heard how Bradley had set up a fake Tinder profile to contact the woman.

Between September last year and January this year the victim spotted him on numerous occasions in hedges near her home, driving by her house and parking nearby to get a peak of the woman.

He was later arrested and released on bail with conditions not to contact her, as well as being made the subject of a non-molestation order.

Bradley was arrested again weeks later and banned from an exclusion zone around her location, however police surveillance secured evidence of the ex-footballer breaching his bail conditions – and he was arrested again and charged with stalking.

Bradley’s victim today read an emotional statement about the effect of his behaviour – and said her life was “made hell” by his actions.

She said they had met in September 2019 and he was “a charmer and won me over”, but added: “Eventually his possessive nature began to shine through and it escalated from there.

“I am suffering from lack of sleep. I’ve been put on very strong medication.

“I am constantly living in fear that he is out there. I am constantly on edge.”

She added: “This has had a long term impact on me as I feel I shall never be able to trust a partner ever again. I have been financially impacted by all of this.

“The whole situation has had a significant effect on my whole life, my personal life, my social life. I shall never be the same person again.”

Bradley, of Gloucester, was jailed for two years and six months. He was also handed a five-year restraining order.

Detective Constable Katie McGurk, who led the investigation, said: “These type of offences strike fear and lasting emotional and psychological damage and this has been emphasised by the victim’s personal statement bravely read out by the victim today.

“Having to change your everyday tasks and not feeling safe is horrific and something that will probably always stay with the victim.

“I hope that the result today will offer her some closure and that the restraining order provides her with some reassurance.”

SHAYNE BRADLEY’S CAREER:

1998–2000 – Southampton
1999 → Swindon Town (loan)
1999 → Exeter City (loan)
2000–2002 – Mansfield Town
2002–2003 – Eastwood Town
2002–2003 → Chesterfield (loan)
2003 → Lincoln City (loan)

National team
England schoolboys

After his brief playing stint in football, mostly at League One and Two level, Bradley retired at the end of the 2002–03 season after a double reconstruction of his right ankle and returned to his home town of Gloucester.

A few years away from the beautiful game, he was offered a coaching role with Gloucester City’s youth set-up where he is in charge of the U13s. In July 2008, he was appointed manager of Tuffley Rovers in the Gloucestershire County League, although he will continue his work with Gloucester.

Outside of football, Bradley had been residing in Abbeymead and worked for E-on.

Fans reacted after seeing that the ex-Southampton, Mansfield, Chesterfield player has been jailed for two and a half years…

@ashsnuggs: Couldn’t of happened to a nicer cunt

@stagslady1: Blooming Nora ex Mansfield town player Shayne Bradley has gone to jail for stalking. Not surprised he was a dirty ****

@vidricho: @SpireLegends hope Shayne Bradley wasn’t next on the list …… you might be in for a wait for him 😬

@FurnessGirl: Creep.

@RDodsworth1: 2.5 years! 🙄

@hannahandtilly: 🤢🤢🤢

@JonnyPorter61: What do you think of this… I’m for him getting at least a couple more years on top of that

@hannahandtilly: His face makes me want to vomit. But stalking for that period of time? 5 years at least you’d have hoped.

@JLReid88: Seems excessive

@ForeverAYellow: Jeez he sounds a right creep, deserves time in jail, his tweets are rather disgusting too imo