A lonely detective constable, who stalked a female colleague by loitering outside her home and waiting for her at a local bus stop as she travelled to work, has been sentenced.
Ironically Jose Lagares, 48, had been confided in by the policewoman after an ex harassed and threatened her and he even tried to influence that investigation.
The father-of-two is based at the Metropolitan Police’s Central North Command Unit, which covers the boroughs of Camden and Islington.
Lagares, of Highfield Road, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire pleaded guilty to stalking Svetlana Puzovic between September 1, 2017 and August 24, this year.
Yesterday he was sentenced to a 12-month Community Order, which includes 120 hours of community service work and was ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
His lawyer told Wimbledon Magistrates Court: “This is a situation borne out of extreme loneliness rather than any psychological issues.”
The court heard the victim was “unable to sleep for months” as a result of Lagares’ behaviour.
Prosecutor Miss Julie Idowu told the court: “They are both serving police officers and the defendant has attended the complainant’s home approximately ten times.
“He has been seen outside the front and around her address.
“They were friends and had been friends for fifteen years.
“The complainant had a relationship with another officer based in the USA.
“She told this defendant about that relationship, which ended with that individual stalking and threatening the complainant.
“She told the defendant about it and he researched her ex-partner and found his address in the USA and information about him, including his date of birth and photos of him.
“She told him to stop and let the police investigation take its course, but he continued to investigate this matter and asked the officer in the case to send all correspondence to him.”
On New Year’s Day Svetlana spotted Lagares at the bus stop near her Vauxhall home and at 7.40am on April 26 he was outside her address.
She saw him while travelling to work on April 29 and again on May 3 as she travelled to her local gym.
“The defendant would be seen hiding in the stairwell in the building opposite her home,” added Miss Idowu.
“Another time he was waiting at her regular bus stop and got on the bus after speaking to her.”
Lagares had been moved to restricted duties at Charing Cross Police Station and now faces internal disciplinary proceedings and dismissal.
He insists he just wanted to talk to the woman to reignite their platonic relationship.
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