The victim, a businesswoman, had said she only wanted to be friends with Gunn, but he did not take this well and sent her a large number of messages, the court heard.
Flowers appeared on her doorstep and he bought her tickets to a Chelsea football match, the prosecutor said.
‘I’m not a stalker – ha ha’
Echakowitz added: “The defendant held this over her, asking her on many occasions in the months to come for money for the tickets, using this as an excuse to contact her.”
In May last year, the defendant – who had lived in another part of Windsor for eight years prior – “suddenly” moved to just around the corner from where the victim lived in the town and texted her to let her know.
Concerned about this, the victim responded: “It is right around the corner from me.” Magistrates were told that the defendant replied: “Do not worry, I am not a stalker, ha ha”.
Gunn subsequently sent the victim unwanted gifts and further bunches of flowers, the court heard.
Echakowitz told the court that the victim spotted the defendant at her place of work in October last year, staring through the window.
“He had brought the exact same dog as her,” the prosecutor said. The defendant went to her workplace on numerous further occasions.
Gunn messaged the victim to let her know he would be joining the same gym as her, prompting her to plead with the management to refuse his application.
Although Gunn was refused access, he was often seen loitering outside the gym, the court heard.
Last November, the victim purchased a black Mercedes E-class car and within the same month, the defendant brought the same E-class.
In December, the victim became increasingly concerned as Gunn continued to drive past her house, contact her and try to give her letters. She then contacted the police and he was arrested.
‘He could have done anything to me at any moment’
Gunn was released on bail with conditions not to contact the victim, but the court heard that she had subsequently seen him filming her from his home as she walked past and approached her at coffee shop in town.
Appearing in court to give a victim impact statement, she told magistrates: “I constantly look over my shoulder wherever I go. I feel like now I always have to be on high alert wherever I am.
“He is huge and he has a severe mental health problem. He could have done anything to me at any moment and he still could.
“This has put me off dating completely at this time. I am scared to meet anyone who could act the same way towards me.
“The things that played on my mind the most and my biggest worry throughout those moments of torment was if he was going to hurt me or even kill me and what would happen to my son. As a mother, this is the worst thought.”
Magistrates decided Gunn’s offence of stalking involving fear of violence between August 1, 2023 and February 14 this year – which he had admitted to – was so serious that it needed to be sent to the Crown Court for sentence.
Gunn was remanded in custody until a date to be confirmed, on the basis he might commit further offences if he was released.
