Serial stalker recalled to prison

A serial Stalker has been recalled to prison after failing to comply with his license conditions.

Grant Hodnett of Coniston Avenue, Winsford has been recalled to prison due to breaching his license conditions.

In February 2024 Hodnett was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for stalking a woman while also breaching a Restraining Order to protect a second woman he previously stalked. The 42-year-old was released on license in September after serving half of his sentence.

As part of Hodnett’s strict license conditions, he was required to inform his Probation Officer of any developing relationships.

In late-November Cheshire Police received notification from a neighbouring force that Hodnett had started a relationship with a woman he’d met via an online dating app.

This triggered a response from the Harm Reduction Unit, Cheshire’s specialist stalking investigation and risk management unit which incorporates Probation Officers and NHS Mental Health professionals. Checks quickly confirmed that Hodnett had failed to inform the Probation Service of this relationship or his use of dating apps, despite having multiple opportunities to do so.

This triggered an emergency recall on Thursday 5 December, and Hodnett was arrested less than 24 hours later.

As a result of his actions Hodnett is now back in prison where he will serve the remainder of his sentence.

Police Constable Keith Terrill of the Harm Reduction Unit, said:

“Hodnett’s actions have again shown he is either unable or unwilling to adhere to conditions placed upon him.

“Thanks to swift information sharing and the integration of the Harm Reduction Unit with the Probation Service, we were able to quickly identify the developing risk Hodnett posed and safeguard the public by recalling him to prison.

“I hope that this demonstrates how Cheshire Police, and our partners, continue to monitor stalking perpetrators and serial domestic abuse perpetrators long after investigations and court cases have ended, and that we will use every tool and power available to us to protect the public from the risks they pose.”

The Harm Reduction Unit is a specialist risk management service delivered by Cheshire Constabulary in conjunction with Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the Probation Service. The unit also includes a dedicated investigation team taking primacy for the most serious and complex stalking investigations.