Survivor fears stalker could leave prison early under government scheme
Paris Shears says she fears Jakob Ward, a family friend jailed for stalking her and sending AI-generated nude images, could be released early under the government’s scheme. She says the prospect has left her facing a possible move and another restart, despite Ward’s 32-month sentence.
Ward, 28, admitted stalking causing serious alarm or distress, creating a purported intimate image, theft, possessing cannabis and possessing a knuckleduster. The court heard he used an Instagram alias to impersonate Shears’s former partner, sent her belongings and a package containing semen, and was identified through DNA analysis. Shears, 31, fled her home with her three children and said the harassment destroyed her sense of safety; she believes time served on remand could mean Ward is released in about nine months.
In short
- Paris Shears fears her stalker could be released after about nine months.
- Jakob Ward was jailed for 32 months after admitting five offences.
- Shears says the harassment forced her and her children from home.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A government early-release scheme may be defended as a way to manage prison capacity and support rehabilitation, provided eligibility rules are applied consistently and public-safety risks are assessed. If Ward qualifies under those rules, officials might argue that supervision and restrictions in the community can manage risk while preserving prison places for people who must remain in custody.
The case against
Early release can leave a survivor feeling that the sentence does not provide the security or accountability the court intended, especially where the stalking involved impersonation, intimate-image abuse and conduct that forced her to leave home with her children. Critics may argue that the continuing risk and the family’s need for safety should weigh heavily in any release decision, alongside the impact on the survivor.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Victim of ‘depraved’ stalker who sent her AI-generated nude photos of herself fears he will be released early from prison under Labour scheme”.