'Obsessed' woman stalked her fitness coach - court

A woman who stalked her former fitness coach after becoming "obsessed" with him has been given a community order.

Julie Rookes, 50, from York, joined her victim's online exercise classes during the Covid pandemic and attended about 20 sessions a week, York Magistrates' Court heard.

The victim worked in several gyms across North Yorkshire and Rookes, of Osbaldwick Lane, visited several to see him, her sentencing hearing was told.

Kathryn Walters, prosecuting, said the stalking had been "like no other situation the victim had ever experienced".

The court heard the victim became concerned about the number of fitness sessions Rookes was attending each week due to her heart condition.

After the coach stopped working at a gym in York, she would make 40-mile round trips to attend his new fitness centre, the hearing was told.

The stalking was reported in 2022 after Rookes turned up at his home and place of work despite being banned from his classes.

Ms Walters said: "He meets many people and takes great joy in helping them to achieve their goals but he found himself distancing himself from people seeking help."

The coach's mental health suffered as a result, the court heard, with the stress exacerbating an existing medical condition.

Rookes was convicted of stalking involving serious alarm or distress on 17 February.

On Wednesday, she was given a 12-month community order, a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement and told to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

She was also ordered to pay costs of £620 and a victim surcharge of £114.

A five-year restraining order was put in place to prevent Rookes from seeing the victim.

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