Sorrento: Secret chats, hate messages, and late-night texts: 26-year-old arrested for stalking

Carabinieri officers from the Sorrento branch arrested a 26-year-old man on charges of aggravated stalking of his ex-girlfriend. The operation was carried out pursuant to a pre-trial detention order issued by the preliminary investigations judge of the Torre Annunziata Court, at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office.

The denunciation and the climate of terror

The story came to light last July, when the victim presented herself to the Carabinieri station in Massa Lubrense, extremely agitated and terrified. The woman told officers that she had been targeted by her ex-partner, unable to accept the end of their relationship, and that she constantly feared for her own safety and that of her new partner.

Ghost voice messages and chats

The investigation, conducted by the Carabinieri of Massa Lubrense and coordinated by the Public Prosecutor's Office, revealed a long pattern of physical and psychological violence and stalking that began during their cohabitation and escalated after the breakup.

The 26-year-old subjected the woman to a suffocating surveillance, bombarding her with phone calls and text messages, especially in the middle of the night. To avoid leaving traces and evade law enforcement, the man used self-deleting messaging apps, sending voice messages peppered with explicit death threats addressed not only to his ex-girlfriend, but also to her family and new partner.

A life turned upside down by fear

The victim's persistent stalking plunged her into a severe and prolonged state of anxiety. Fearing retaliation, she was forced to completely disrupt her daily routine, even staying at home and only leaving when escorted by trusted people.

The precautionary measure

Given the serious circumstantial evidence—confirmed by witness statements and technical tests performed on the victim's smartphone—the Judge deemed pre-trial detention the only appropriate measure to protect the victim and prevent a repeat offense. After completing the required formalities, the 26-year-old was transferred to a penitentiary facility at the disposal of the judicial authorities.

The precautionary measure remains appealable before the Review Court. The proceedings are currently in the preliminary investigation phase, and by virtue of the presumption of innocence, the suspect is presumed innocent until a final conviction is issued.