A stalker who snuck into his ex-girlfriend’s house to watch her sleeping for one hour has been jailed for 38 weeks. 

Alexandru Tinciu, who was trying to ‘salvage his relationship’, was checking to see if victim Rosie Best was with another man, prosecutors said.

The 27 year old had made comments that the only way he could be separated from Ms Best was “if they were both dead”, the court heard.

Victory Abang, prosecuting, said: "On October 28, the defendant let himself into the property of his ex-partner at 2.50am, after she had mistakenly left her door open.

"She was asleep in her living room downstairs, but had no idea that this happened until the next day when she checked her camera footage.

"She called him to ask why he did this and he says he was checking to see if there was any other man with her. Camera footage shows him leaving the house at 3.45am."

The court heard how, just before midnight on Halloween (October 31), Tinciu returned to the house - in Purley on Thames - and broke in with a hammer by smashing the window on the kitchen door. 

"This incident shows how obsessed he is with the complainant", Mr Abang said, "He had made comments in the past that the only way he could be separated from the complainant was if they were both dead. He also said he would slit their throats but would laugh as they go.

"Because of him, she feels unsafe in her home. When she goes out, she makes sure that friends or family come to the door with her."

Judge Kirsty Real, sentencing at Reading Crown Court, said Tinciu had admitted stalking involving serious alarm or distress and had no previous convictions.

The judge said: "On both occasions you went there in the early hours of the morning. On the first occasion, you let yourself in. It seems that you were there for quite a significant period of time, although she did not realise it while you were there.

"Your behaviour was a profession from legitimate attempts to salvage a relationship to obsessive behaviours.

"Your actions were inflicting distress upon your victim. It seems you do not fully understand yet the impact of your actions, but you do at least recognise that she does not want to see you again."

Judge Real jailed Tinciu, of no fixed address, for 38 weeks and imposed a restraining order preventing him from contact Ms Best directly or indirectly for five years.