Jack-Leland Webster

Jack-Leland Webster, formerly known as Jack Malone, of Cedar Road, Earl Shilton, Leicester, was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on 8 April 2026 to nine years and five months in prison for a series of serious offences committed while living in Manchester. The charges included rape, strangulation, and stalking, stemming from a disturbing incident in June 2024 and subsequent breaches of bail conditions.

The ordeal began in June 2024 when Webster accused his victim of cheating with her ex-boyfriend. As she attempted to leave their flat, Webster blocked the doorways to prevent her escape. He then climbed on top of her and strangled her, threatening, "Don’t make me kill you. If you do, I’ll have to kill myself so we can be dead together." Following this violent restraint, he sexually assaulted her, an act that the court later classified as rape. The victim's ex-boyfriend had previously contacted her out of concern after discovering that Webster had been impersonating him on social media to test her loyalty throughout their relationship.

While on bail, Webster's obsessive behaviour escalated into stalking. He purchased numerous fake social media accounts to follow and contact the victim, her family, and friends, directly breaching the no-contact conditions imposed upon him. On one alarming occasion, the victim was followed by over 100 accounts on a social media platform within seconds. Webster also sent messages to her while pretending to be her ex-partner, intensifying her fear and harassment.

During police interviews, Webster denied all charges and displayed a lack of remorse, treating the investigation as a game. When officers attempted to arrange a second interview, he was obstructive, telling them to "pick me up from KFC" and "catch me if you can". He arrived for the interview armed with a book on debating, stating it would demonstrate how the session would proceed. Despite his denials, Webster had pleaded guilty to stalking prior to trial, where a jury found him guilty of rape and strangulation on 8 April 2026.

In addition to his custodial sentence, Webster was issued an indefinite restraining order to protect the victim. Investigating officer Detective Constable Lucy Hatton described Webster as a very dangerous individual who had engaged in a prolonged campaign of stalking and domestic abuse, breaching bail conditions multiple times. The case was handled by Greater Manchester Police, highlighting their commitment to pursuing offenders in stalking, rape, and sexual assault cases.