A stalker who made violent sexual assault threats to a Watford woman has been found guilty of four offences in court.

Karl Chads, from Charlwood Street in London, was found guilty of stalking with fear of violence against two victims, burglary, criminal damage and trespassing with the intent to commit a relevant sexual offence, after a nine-day trial at St Albans Crown Court.

The 41-year-old has been remanded into custody and will appear for sentencing on July 24.

The court heard that Chads, despite having only met the female victim face-to-face three times, bombarded her with texts, phone calls and voicemails from October 2023.

"The defendant became increasingly fixated on the victim, spiralling into more erratic and frightening behaviour," said Detective Constable Honeybell, from the Local Crime Unit.

"Despite the woman ignoring previous messages and making it clear she did not want him contacting her, he continued to barrage the victim with unwanted contact, declaring his love for her and posting about her on social media over a prolonged period.

"He continued to spiral, sending unwanted gifts and flowers with handwritten love letters, despite the victim not giving him her address."

Chads then began threatening the victim's partner, saying he would blow his head off and making violent sexual threats to harm the victim in front of her partner.

On December 17, 2023, she answered a call from an unknown number and could hear Chads breathing down the phone. At 9.45pm that evening, Chads broke into her home through a bathroom window and stole her journal.

When Chads returned to her address for a second time on December 18, he broke two glass panels in the front door and reached into the property, but officers were lying in wait for him and he was quickly arrested.

"We believe Chads intended to follow through with his threats of violent sexual assault, but we were there waiting for him and arrested him.” said DC Honeybell.

"He is a very dangerous man who has made the most serious of threats, against a woman and her partner – both of whom he hardly knew.

"His obsessive behaviour was unwanted and unwarranted. He made it clear that nothing was going to stop him from getting his victim, despite hardly knowing her.

"Stalking can affect every part of your life and can lead to even more serious offences. We are here to help and for domestic cases we have a Domestic Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit."