A father who accused of stalking and being a 'domestic abuser' by police after he hired a private detective to track down the runaway mother of his two children has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Businessman Hayden Miller, 31, had paid a PI to trace beautician Sarah Peet to her sister's new property 275 miles from home after she disappeared with the youngsters in a £14,000 VW Golf gave her 'gift-wrapped in a bow' in late 2021.
The transport company owner, from Norden, near Rochdale, Greater Manchester was charged with coercive behaviour and stalking - facing up to five years in prison - after Miss Peet, also 31, claimed her new home was a 'safe space' from Mr Miller whom she said had 'given her grief' during their relationship.
A police officer also accused Mr Miller of 'domestic abuse' after he had made a request under the domestic violence disclosure scheme, known as Clare's Law as part of his inquiries into Miss Peet's whereabouts.
In the enquiry he said she abused alcohol and that he was worried about the welfare of their daughters, a court heard.
Businessman Hayden Miller (pictured), 31 from Norden, Greater Manchester, paid a PI to trace the mother of his two children to her sister's new property 275 miles from home and was accused of stalking and coercive behaviour - but was cleared of all charges in court
Beautician Sarah Peet (pictured), 31, claimed her new home was a 'safe space' from Mr Miller whom she said had 'given her grief' during their relationship
He subsequently insisted Miss Peet, known to friends as 'Sally', was regularly in debt due to her over-spending on luxuries and said he had hired the private eye to serve legal papers on her after she refused to cooperate with family mediation meetings.
At Bolton Magistrates' Court following a nine month legal ordeal, Mr Miller was cleared of both charges after Justices of the Peace accepted he had hired the private eye for a 'lawful purpose.'
They said Miss Peet gave 'emotive evidence' and ruled that Mr Miller's explanation was 'credible.'
The couple started dating in October 2019 after meeting via the Plenty of Fish dating website. Miss Peet gave birth to their first child in September the following year and then their second in Oct...