Ex-military intelligence officer, 49, stalked his ex-wife and threatened to get an MI6 contact to trace her down
A former military intelligence officer stalked his ex-wife and threatened to get an MI6 contact to track her down after she moved away from him.
Laura Daniels moved hundreds of miles away from her ex-husband Giles Daniels, 49, after the couple divorced in 2024 when he became abusive, a court heard.
Months later, the mother-of-five was bombarded with calls and messages from her ex-partner of ten years, leaving her terrified.
When she ignored the messages, Daniels told her that his ‘MI6 guy can find you to within 1m.’
After she told Daniels she didn’t want any contact from him, he found her old email address, which she had closed down ten years ago, and used it to get her current email.
The stalking went on for four more months before Daniels, from Poundbury, Dorset, was arrested and charged.
At Weymouth Magistrates’ Court, he admitted stalking and was given an 18-month community order and a 10-year restraining order, preventing him from contacting his wife.
Giles Daniels, 49, was found guilty of stalking his ex-wife after their divorce two years ago
Daniels had a 23-year career as an RAF cartographer and photographer with tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Africa.
The court heard Mrs Daniels ended the relationship due to domestic violence and moved far away to an undisclosed location for her safety.
However, in January 2025, Daniels began contacting his ex-wife and asked her to marry him again.
Elizabeth Valera, prosecuting, said: ‘They divorced two years ago due to domestic violence and she said she hadn’t heard from him for some time.
‘She had to remove herself from anywhere he might be for “the safety of myself and my children”.
‘She then received a call on January 16. She said: “I was unsure at first who it was but he then identified himself. He talked about marrying me again.”
The message, which was read out to the court by Mrs Valera, read: ‘Marry me, you know I always come back to you, you’re mine forever. Just once it would be nice for you to swallow your pride and find me.’
Mrs Daniels did not reply but said the message ‘disturbed’ her.
In a second message, Daniels wrote: ‘I can’t read your messages but the MI6 guy can find you to within 1m. That’s me baby, spec ops. Long conversation another day. I’m just your guy.’
In a statement read to the court, Mrs Daniels said: ‘He worked in intelligence in the military and knows making those comments would scare me’.
‘I’m concerned about his behaviour, it will start to escalate. I believe he’s trying to make out he knew people that would be able to track me down, which is deeply concerning. He knows I want nothing to do with him.’
Eventually, Mrs Daniels replied to her ex-husband, saying ‘please stop, all the best but this ends here’.
She then received a further phone call, which she didn’t answer.
At Weymouth Magistrates’ Court, Daniels was given an 18-month community order
Mrs Daniels said the ordeal left her ‘feeling harassed, alarmed and distressed by his behaviour’ and left in fear due to historic domestic abuse.
Mrs Valera added: ‘She received an email on an AOL account, she had closed it down ten years ago but he had managed to get that from her new Gmail account.
‘She was very concerned the police were not taking it seriously enough.
‘She says: “I believe he will never stop trying to contact me, I don’t want him in my life. I feel like I cannot take much more of this harassment, it makes me feel extremely anxious. I believe his behaviour is escalating”.
‘It was a persistent threat, maximising fear. She has significantly moved to get away from him, he is saying no matter what you do I will find you.’
The court heard Daniels had previous convictions for breaching a restraining order and a non-molestation order, relating to a different victim.
Simon Lacey, defending, said Daniels contacted his ex-wife so he could see his children.
He said: ‘Mr Daniels is ex-armed forces, he did 23 years in the air force, various combat tours in Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan, North Africa.
‘There are references in the report to PTSD. He was in cartography but did see some fairly horrific things.
‘He initiated contact because he wants to see his children, as people do.
‘In his head he is desperate to re-engage with the children, you can see how it has happened. It’s a pretty tough one, children have rights to have contact with their father.
‘It’s not some sinister plot to cause trouble, it’s a man who wants to have some role in his children’s lives.’
Daniels admitted to stalking and possession of an offensive weapon – a 90cm curved blade sword police found in his flat when he was arrested.
The magistrates gave him an 18-month community order with a 90-day alcohol abstinence and monitoring requirement, 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and £199 costs.
Chair of the bench Ian Humphreys said: ‘It has clearly caused her significant distress and you are responsible for that.’
They also made a 10-year restraining order preventing him from contacting his ex-wife, except through solicitors, social services or family court to arrange child contact only.
