Bristol PC harassed officer ex-girlfriend after split

A Bristol policeman harassed his ex-partner - also a PC - for a year after their relationship ended.

He dug up her garden, claimed he had given her sexually transmitted diseases and threatened to ruin her life after they split when she discovered he had been having an affair.

John-Paul Mizen, a serving police constable based at Trinity Road police station, ran from court following his harassment hearing today.

The 27-year-old, of Frome Valley Road, Stapleton, will now have to carry out 120 hours community service over the next 12 months.

He could also face an internal disciplinary hearing at police HQ in Portishead.

His former girlfriend PC Michelle Lacey, who is the mother of his twin daughters, is a serving police officer at Southmead police station.

She is now with boyfriend Simon Overbury, North Somerset Magistrates' Court was told.

Magistrates placed a restraining order on Mizen, preventing him from contacting Ms Lacey for the next year.

The pair started a relationship in 2004 after meeting at work. Their twins were born June 2007.

Prosecuting, Michael Hartnell said that in mid-November that year Ms Lacey discovered from reading e-mails and messages on social networking website Facebook that Mizen had been seeing someone else.

The relationship ended and Mizen moved out the family home in Worle Moor Road, Weston Village, to live with his parents in Bristol.

Mr Hartnell said that on March 24 last year Mizen had the twins and was due to return them but shortly before 10pm that night he telephoned Ms Lacey.

During the call he said: "You're not taking the kids back until you sell the house. You've taken everything away from me. I'm going to ruin your life.

"Get all your stuff out of the house, I'm moving in today.

"You're nothing but a scrubber, you're a bad mother."

In another call, the court was told he said: "I'm going to ruin your life in every single way. Leave the house or I will get you. I'm moving in.

"You are a fat bitch with a fat stomach.

"I was sleeping with all those women. Have you had a test? You need one, I've passed STD's to you.

"I can make allegations if I want to. I'm gonna ruin your family."

In April last year, he blocked PC Lacey's vehicle in at a car park and told her he would only move it if she phoned her boyfriend and told him to never come around to the house again.

Afterwards, said Mr Hartnell, he drove to the Worle Moor Road home and dug up the grass in the garden. He then threw slate around the rear garden.

Mizen denied blocking in the car or going to the garden.

Defending, Nicholas Clough said things started to go wrong between the couple following the birth of their daughters.

He claimed in court that Ms Lacey suffered from post natal depression and later refused to let Mizen see his children.

He also told the court Ms Lacey wanted the house signed into her name but Mizen continued to make mortgage payments.

The house was later handed back to the building society and has now been sold.

Mr Clough said: "There was behaviour which he accepts was unacceptable and he wishes to apologise to everyone concerned.

"He had been a serving police officer for nine years at the time of the break up with Miss Lacey and was on a promotional path, which had since been reversed."

The court was also told Mizen returned to work recently working four hour shifts and has concerns about his job prospects.

Catherine Foster, an Avon and Somerset police spokesman, said: "Now that the court proceedings are concluded, consideration will be given to what, if any, internal disciplinary measures may be appropriate.

"While that consideration is taking place, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."

Mizen has a Facebook page on which he states is a member of Fathers 4 Justice.

He refused to make a comment before running from the court.