A detective constable persistently sent his former partner messages and followed her at an event during an eight-week period of stalking, a court heard.

Timothy Fory, of the Metropolitan Police’s directorate of professional standards, was convicted of stalking Stephanie Lane, who was also a detective at the force, from July to September 2024.

The pair had a brief relationship, but they broke up as Ms Lane thought Fory was not respecting her boundaries, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday.

Fory, 34, who had been serving in the force for four years, then “persistently” sent her messages on WhatsApp, before he was blocked and he turned to Instagram and Facebook.

In one message, Fory sent Ms Lane a link to Ann Summers lingerie, the court heard.

Ms Lane replied to the message saying: “I’m starting to think you’ve not registered that we’re not seeing each other anymore.”

Fory replied that he was still “going to imagine you in stockings”.

In another message, Fory asked Ms Lane “Why are you looking so sexy?”, and added: “I want to put my arms around you.”

Fory also followed her at a social event in which “everywhere she went he followed”, prosecutor George Crivelli said.

After he was blocked on social media, the defendant found Ms Lane’s ex-partner Joshua Gray on Instagram and “out of pure spitefulness and perhaps desperation” sent him a message about him being in a relationship with her, the court heard.

Ms Lane said in a victim impact statement read to the court that Fory was “spiteful” and “vindictive” and his actions left her “anxious, nervous and on edge”.

She said she has struggled sleeping, has lost weight and now constantly looks over her shoulder.

Ms Lane also said the stalking has “affected” her work, especially when cases “similar” to her own come up.

Fory had denied stalking without fear, alarm or distress in March of last year, but was convicted of the offence after a trial last month.

The defendant was spared jail and handed a 12-month community order and must carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and 15 days of a rehabilitation requirement.

A five-year restraining order was put in place, meaning he cannot contact Ms Lane directly or indirectly.

He was also made to pay £775 and a statutory surcharge of £114.

District Judge Caroline Jackson said Fory was in a “position of trust”, saying: “You of all people ought to be fully aware and appreciate the impact your actions have on people”.

The judge told the defendant: “I am saddened that you still don’t appreciate and understand the impact of your conduct.”

She also said a pre-sentence report showed he still believed that Ms Lane sent him “mixed messages”.

She added his “worrying” behaviour only stopped because he was blocked on the platforms.

The court heard Fory was suspended from duty on full pay.

Miranda Zeffman, defending, said Fory, who has no previous convictions, will now look to work in the construction industry.

The Met said Fory was suspended from duty when he was charged in February 2025, and now faces an accelerated misconduct hearing as soon as possible.

Detective Chief Superintendent Iain Keating of professional standards said: “DC Fory’s behaviour is a discredit to the thousands of Met officers who are committed to tackling offences against women and girls in London.

“His actions are even more concerning given he is attached to the Met’s directorate of professional standards, a unit directly responsible for investigating misconduct and upholding high standards across the Met.

“This court result, off the back of a swift investigation by officers, is a welcome one that I hope reassures women and girls, including the victim in this case, that the kind of conduct shown by DC Fory will not be tolerated.”