‘He stalked me, but I was the one arrested’
He stalked me, but I was the one arrested
In December 2020, Jodie Morrow found herself in a police vehicle, tearfully preparing for a journey to custody. The arrest came after false claims that she had been harassing Ezra Garfield, a man she had previously dated. For months prior, the Ulster University student had raised concerns about Garfield, yet police had not taken action. Now, she was the one facing charges, while he remained free.
Jodie met Garfield, then known as Riagain Grainger, in March 2020 during her studies in Belfast. Their brief relationship began on a dating app, with a few “lovely, wholesome” dates. Initially, he seemed trustworthy, and Jodie felt no red flags. However, when she decided to end the relationship, his behavior changed dramatically. She received relentless calls and messages from two numbers, which she believed were linked to Garfield’s family, though she suspected he was orchestrating the harassment.
The campaign of harassment
By September 2020, Jodie had reported the incidents to the police. The harassment continued, with messages appearing in group chats and a photo of Garfield with her name carved into his chest. “You don’t know how to process that at all, it was all a blur,” she recalled. “I kept thinking if I keep going to the police… It’ll stop.” Despite her efforts, the police arrested her, seizing her phone for three months until tests confirmed Garfield had created the calls using an app.
“It wasn’t until they put me in the car and were explaining to me my rights that I realised I was getting arrested and it sort of all hit me,” she said. “I was just so frustrated… I just can’t believe they’re taking his word on this.”
Garfield was eventually jailed in February 2022 after pleading guilty to stalking and perverting the course of justice. The court learned he had targeted a 21-year-old woman in 2019, sending her distressing messages after they met in Manchester. Jodie’s case followed, and in February of this year, she saw Garfield sentenced to 19 months in prison, with an additional 19 months on supervised licence.
Police shortcomings and institutional response
The Police Service of Northern Ireland acknowledged “shortcomings” in how Jodie’s case was handled. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson stated that investigators worked with multiple UK police services to locate Garfield and ensure justice. “It became clear that Garfield had intended to portray himself as a victim to make the real victim look like an offender,” he explained.
“Throughout this case, investigators worked with a number of police services across the UK in order to locate Garfield and bring him to justice before court,” he added.
Jodie expressed disappointment with the PSNI and Ulster University, which she felt had not adequately addressed her complaint about Garfield’s behavior. “In the end he got a slap on the wrist,” she said. “He got banned from campus at a time when ever…”
