A STALKER branded her victim a 'pound shop Epstein' during a prolonged campaign of alarm and distress.

Merida Toner created 30 posts a day on social media sites including X and Facebook against the victim and his Newton Abbot security business.

Exeter magistrates court heard that 40-year-old Toner stalked the victim between November 2023 and January 2025.

Toner also sent messages to the victim’s work e mail address and sent some the messages in Russian and Ukraine.

The victim sent the police 75 screenshots showing the abuse but could not keep up with the number that Toner, of Tiverton, Devon, sent.

Toner admitted targeting the victim and said she had also sent her messages to local police and the Royal Family to get a wider audience.

The victim said he is frightened Toner will come to his home and has installed intruder alarms, CCTV and increased security.

The court heard Toner claimed she had been sex trafficked and gang raped which had been investigated by police but not pursued.

The court heard the victim had to delete all his social media which had affected his work, because of the potential damage by Toner’s posts when she called him a ‘rapist, nonce and Pound shop Epstein’.

Toner, who had breached bail conditions had been on remand in jail, has no previous convictions.

The JPs sentenced Toner to 12 months in jail, suspended for two years, with a two year restraining order banning any contact with the victim and his business - and was warned breaching that could lead to a five year jail sentence.