“Jekyll and Hyde” menace who molested girl and launched terrifying stalking campaign on ex-partner refuses to attend court for latest offence

“Jekyll and Hyde” character Daniel Plumstead was due to be sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court for another attack on a woman in October last year - but decided to stay in his prison cell at Winchester Prison instead.

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The 35-year-old, who went on the run last December sparking police appeals to catch him, was jailed in March for 12 months for stalking and threatening to damage property during his “frightening” campaign of harassment against his former lover. His merciless tormenting had seen him threaten to stab the woman, spit in her face, grab her around the throat and send menacing pictures of himself sitting outside her house - which he threatened to burn down.

The female said she was “scared to leave my house” after he made threats to hurt her. She described him as “Jekyll and Hyde” before adding: “I never knew who I was going to wake up to.”

Then in June Plumstead, of Fawcett Road, Southsea, prior to his incarceration, was handed a longer sentence of 29 months for having sexual activity with a child after groping a 14-year-old at an address in Havant during July 2021.

Now, at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday, July 21 Plumstead was set to have more time added to his jail stint for assault occasioning actual bodily harm on the woman he stalked. But after “refusing” to leave his cell the hearing could not go ahead.

His no-show even led to his lawyer Bridget O’Hagan insisting she would reprimand her client, who she has known a “long time”. She said: “I will be writing a suitably worded letter about his non-appearance today.”

Her request for the next appearance to be held over a video-link because it is “more likely he will walk up some stairs” at prison was granted by the judge.

The case was adjourned and will now be heard on July 31 via a video-link from Winchester Prison.