Arrest warrant issued by court after Wigan stalker's sentence no-show

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Wigan 41-year-old who failed to turn up at court after admitting to a four-month stalking campaign.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Mark Vernal, of Dunbarton Green in Beech Hill, had previously appeared before borough justices to plead guilty to sending texts to Anna Taylor and turning up at her workplace between early December 2020 and April 18 2021.

Read More
Man arrested for manslaughter after death of Wigan 59-year-old

He also admitted to breaching a suspended sentence, which had been handed down for a previous offence, by committing the crime.

Wigan Magistrates' CourtWigan Magistrates' Court
Wigan Magistrates' Court
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However when the time came for him to learn his fate, he did not appear in the dock at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates' Court and so an arrest warrant was issued by the bench.

A charge that Vernal caused Ms Taylor to fear that violence would be used against her, which he had denied, was dropped at the previous hearing when the prosecution did not offer any evidence.