Michael Perry sentenced for harassment in Newport 2026

Key Points

• Michael Perry, 31, from Newport, bombarded his ex-partner with more than 1,400 calls and messages between January and March 2026.
• Perry used ‘no caller ID’ function for more than 900 calls and sent over 500 messages to the victim.
• He appeared at her home, shouted insults, and followed her in his car to a B&Q car park on Corporation Road.
• Perry made threats including “You don’t know what I’m capable of” and warned he would make things worse after serving time.
• The victim altered her daily routine and became fearful of going out in Newport due to the harassment campaign.
• Perry pleaded guilty to harassment causing fear of violence at Cardiff Crown Court.
• He was sentenced to 18 months, suspended for two years, with GPS monitoring tag for six months and a 10-year restraining order.

Newport Crime (Wales Times) August 01, 2026 – A 31-year-old man from uk/local/newport/">Newport has been sentenced after subjecting his former partner to a sustained campaign of harassment involving more than 1,400 phone calls and messages, court appearances at her home and workplace, and following her in his car. Michael Perry, of Davies Square in Newport, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to harassment causing fear of violence. As reported by the South Wales Argus, prosecutor Ieuan Bennett told the court that Perry’s behaviour began between January and March this year, following the end of a 10-year relationship in August 2025 when the victim discovered he had been seeing another woman.

What happened in the Michael Perry harassment case?

Michael Perry made more than 900 calls to his ex-partner whilst using the ‘no caller ID’ function to conceal his identity, and sent her more than 500 messages during the three-month period, prosecutor Ieuan Bennett told Cardiff Crown Court. The victim was able to identify Perry by his voice when she answered one of the calls, during which he asked: “Why aren’t you answering me?”

During another call, Perry told the victim:

“You don’t know what I’m capable of. Let’s go tit for tat”, according to Mr Bennett’s account to the court. In other calls, he called her “deranged” and warned that he would serve his time and then make things worse for her if she went to the police, the court heard.

Perry showed up at her home on one occasion and shouted “You f***ing rat” at her, whilst he also appeared at her workplace, prosecutor Ieuan Bennett said. The victim also noticed Perry following her in his car to the B&Q car park on Corporation Road and recording her on March 10, Mr Bennett told Cardiff Crown Court.

What threats did Perry make to his ex-partner?

The harassment campaign included explicit threats designed to intimidate the victim. As reported by the South Wales Argus, during one call Perry stated: “You don’t know what I’m capable of. Let’s go tit for tat”. In other communications, he called the victim “deranged” and made clear warnings about future retaliation.

Perry told the victim that he would serve his time and then make things worse for her if she went to the police, according to prosecutor Ieuan Bennett’s account at Cardiff Crown Court. When Perry appeared at her home, he shouted “You f***ing rat” at her, the court heard.

How did the harassment affect the victim?

Mr Bennett told Cardiff Crown Court that the victim had to alter her daily routine and became fearful of going out in Newport as a result of Perry’s behaviour. The sustained nature of the contact – more than 1,400 calls and messages over three months – meant the victim was subjected to near-constant pressure and intimidation.

The defendant was arrested on March 18 and gave a no comment interview, according to the court proceedings reported by the South Wales Argus.

What sentence did Michael Perry receive?

The 31-year-old defendant pleaded guilty to harassment causing fear of violence at Cardiff Crown Court, the South Wales Argus reported. The judge sentenced Perry to 18 months, suspended for two years, and ordered him to complete 26 sessions of the Building Choices programme and 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

The defendant must wear a GPS monitoring tag for six months, and the victim was granted a 10-year restraining order, according to the court proceedings.

Background to the harassment case development

This case forms part of a broader pattern of domestic abuse and harassment prosecutions in the Newport area, where courts have increasingly dealt with cases involving sustained contact-based harassment following relationship breakdowns. The case was heard at Cardiff Crown Court, which handles serious criminal matters for the South Wales region, including Newport and surrounding areas.

The harassment began after a 10-year relationship ended in August 2025, when the victim discovered Perry had been seeing another woman, according to prosecutor Ieuan Bennett’s account at court. The three-month campaign between January and March 2026 escalated to the point where the victim altered her daily routine and became fearful of going out in Newport, the court heard.

Similar cases have been prosecuted in the region, including Craig Bray from Newport who was sentenced in March 2026 after making threats to “cut up” his ex-partner and bombarding her with around 140 phone calls, as reported by Wales Updates. Another Newport case involved Nathan Beck, who was jailed for 31 months in July 2024 for controlling or coercive behaviour towards his former partner, according to court reports.

Prediction: How this development can affect domestic abuse victims in Newport

The Perry case is likely to have several effects on domestic abuse victims and support services in the Newport area. The suspended sentence with GPS monitoring and rehabilitation requirements, rather than immediate custody, may prompt discussion among victim support advocates about whether the penalty adequately reflects the severity of sustained harassment involving more than 1,400 contacts over three months.

Victims in similar situations may be encouraged to report harassment to police, knowing that the courts are treating such cases seriously enough to result in convictions with restraining orders and monitoring requirements. The 10-year restraining order granted to Perry’s victim provides a template for protection orders in comparable cases across South Wales.

Support services such as the Live Fear Free helpline may see increased contact from individuals experiencing similar patterns of post-relationship harassment, particularly where former partners use concealed caller ID, repeated messaging, and physical following or surveillance. The case highlights that harassment causing fear of violence is prosecutable even where the perpetrator uses ‘no caller ID’ functions, as the victim was able to identify Perry by his voice during calls.