A STALKER climbed through a window and pinned his ex partner on her bed as she slept in a “terrifying” incident.

Daniel McCabe had been in a relationship with the woman for many years, but she chose to end it.

So the 56-year-old started a campaign of stalking her, including following her at her workplace and home.

Then late one night, McCabe climbed into her home through her son’s bedroom window and she woke to find him in her room.

He was carrying blue rope, a pillow case, gaffer tape, a mallet and a crowbar.

McCabe pinned the woman on the bed with his hand over her mouth and said he wanted to talk with her.

Luckily her son awoke and came into the room and the police were called to the address in Worthing.

At Hove Crown Court, McCabe admitted stalking which caused serious alarm or distress.

But because he had already served three months in prison and shown remorse, he was given a suspended prison sentence of one year and eight months.

Judge Jeremy Gold QC said he had a “degree of hesitation” but said the victim had taken a mature approach to the situation.

He put the stalker under curfew for six months along with a restraining order forbidding him from contacting the woman.

Sophie Evans, prosecuting, said the stalking started after the break-up in January.

The incident at the woman’s home happened on February 17.

It was 2am and she had locked all her doors and windows, but woke up and realised McCabe was in her room.

“He pinned her down and covered her mouth, but she screamed and tried to get him off her,” Ms Evans said.

Jason Halsey, defending, said McCabe had gone to “extraordinary and frightening” lengths to “get answers” from the victim, but did not intend to harm her.

He did accept the incident “must have been terrifying”, Mr Halsey said.

McCabe, formerly of West Tarring, had “expressed remorse”.

The judge said McCabe had found the relationship breakdown “impossible to come to terms with” and had gone through a “nervous breakdown”.

“You are fortunate that the victim has taken a very mature approach to this case,” the judge said.

“You subjected her to an absolutely terrifying experience.”

The judge said prisons face difficulties because of coronavirus and he would not send McCabe to prison.

He will be under curfew at an address in Steyning.