A “jealous” scaffolder who called his ex-girlfriend the “wicked witch of Wycombe” is facing sentence at crown court after admitting breaching a court order and harassing her.
Tom Hibberd, 36 appeared before three magistrates at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, May 20.
He pleaded guilty to breaching a non-molestation order between January 14, 2025 and January 14, 2026, and to a separate charge of harassment, with both offences committed after the couple’s relationship ended.
The court heard he had been in an on-off relationship with a woman for around six years before finally splitting in February 2024. A non-molestation order was granted in January 2025, limiting any contact Hibberd could have with his ex-partner.
In one incident, magistrates were told, Hibberd – a scaffolder currently on crutches following a serious car crash – accused his ex of “sleeping around” and said “the man she is seeing will be killed”.
Across a two-day spell just before Christmas 2025, she received 54 calls from a withheld number, as well as calls from Hibberrd’s mother, and emails were sent in breach of the order.
The court also heard he was verbally abusive during the 12‑month period, repeatedly calling her names despite the order being in place.
Hibberd, who wore a white sports T-shirt, black shorts and a knee brace, sat in the dock rather than standing because of injuries to his leg, knee and hip. He put his hands on his head and let out a long sigh as the evidence and victim impact statement were read, and was offered tissues and a glass of water by the bench, which he declined.
In a victim impact statement read to the bench, his ex said she was hardly sleeping, felt depressed and had begun working from home after leaving her workplace in an “emotional state”. She said she had “changed for the worse” since the relationship.
In mitigation, the defence said Hibberd accepted the seriousness of the offences, had become jealous after claims his former partner was seeing other men, and accepted his behaviour had been unreasonable.
After around 25 minutes of deliberation, magistrates said the level of psychological harm meant their powers were not sufficient and committed him to Aylesbury Crown Court for sentence.
They reminded Hibberd he must not have any contact with the victim by any means, must not ask others to contact her on his behalf, and is banned from entering her street.
No date has yet been set for his sentencing.
