‘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 after being accused of harassment by Ezra Garfield. She had just completed an early shift at her cafe job when her phone rang with calls from law enforcement. The 19-year-old had been in a brief relationship with Garfield, then known as Riagain Grainger, and had previously alerted police to his persistent messages. Despite her repeated efforts, he remained unscathed for three months. But that evening, Jodie was taken into custody, tearfully grappling with the reality of her arrest, while Garfield stood as the alleged victim.
The Relationship and the Turnaround
Jodie met Garfield in March 2020 while studying in Belfast. They connected on a dating app, and their initial encounters were described as “lovely, wholesome.” She recalled,
“It was very normal initially… He seemed absolutely lovely at the start. He never had a single red flag at all.”
However, Jodie felt the connection wavered, and she decided to end the relationship gently. When she told him she no longer wished to see him, he abruptly changed his behavior.
Garfield then launched a campaign of harassment, flooding Jodie’s phone with calls and messages from two numbers that she believed belonged to his parents. She was also added to Instagram group chats by people claiming to be his friends.
“I got sent a picture of him with what I was told was my name carved into his chest,”
she said, describing the overwhelming nature of the accusations.
The Investigation and Jodie’s Ordeal
By September 2020, Jodie had reported the harassment to the police. The messages persisted, and she made further statements to authorities, as well as lodged a complaint with Ulster University, where Garfield had enrolled after meeting her. In December, Garfield turned the narrative, accusing Jodie of harassing him. He allegedly fabricated phone calls and threatening messages from her, yet refused to hand over his device for evidence.
During her arrest, Jodie was fingerprinted, placed in a cell, and released on bail. Her phone was seized for three months, only to later reveal Garfield had generated the calls using an app. She recounted,
“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.”
“I was just so frustrated… I just can’t believe they’re taking his word on this,” she added.
Trials and Justice
Garfield faced trial under his former name, Riagain Grainger, in February 2022. He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years for stalking involving serious alarm and distress, admitting to targeting a 21-year-old woman in 2019 during their time at Manchester University. Jodie’s case followed months later, culminating in her own conviction for 19 months in prison, with an additional 19 months on supervised licence.
Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson acknowledged the case was “complex” and officers had “acted in good faith” based on available information. He noted that investigators worked with multiple UK services to locate Garfield and secure justice.
“It became clear that Garfield had intended to portray himself as a victim to make the real victim in this case look like an offender.”
However, he admitted there were “shortcomings” in how Jodie’s situation was managed.
Reflecting on the experience, Jodie expressed disappointment in both the police and Ulster University. “In the end he got a slap on the wrist,” she said, lamenting how the university handled her complaint. She now collaborates with the PSNI to enhance their systems, hoping to prevent similar missteps in the future.
