NEWS – “without comment”
(Why Professional’s should check potential clients, carefully)
A married businessman who installed listening devices at the home of the woman he was having an affair with has narrowly avoided prison.
By Sophie Corcoran – Leeds-Live.
September 11, 2025
A Leeds property director cheated on pregnant wife before bugging lover’s home and car to spy on her. He used a tracker, listening devices and even tried to hire a private investigator to follow woman.
Leeds Crown Court heard on Wednesday the woman left her partner before Minnock subjected her to a chilling ordeal, during which he attempted to hire a private investigator to follow her while she was on holiday in Mexico, and listened into conversations she had with friends.
Prosecutor Jemima Stephenson-Finn told the court: “From the start of the relationship he constantly sent her messages and his behaviour became very paranoid. She became suspicious he was using listening devices in her car. She had spoken with a friend in her car and arranged to meet him for a drink. The defendant had particular issues with this friend, and she told him she had just bumped into him while out. The defendant then made a comment about them having arranged to meet up, giving rise to her suspicions.
“She then called another friend from her car and pretended she was going to meet a good-looking landlord at Costa. When she arrived, the defendant drove past and went inside.”
The court heard that in January 2023, Minnock, of Carr Road, Leeds, bought the woman a phone charger for her car, which was in fact, a disguised listening device. She told him she did not need one and gave it back, but while on a walk he pretended he had forgotten his jacket and took her car keys, leaving them for an individual who placed the device in her car.
Ms Stephenson-Finn said: “In October 2023, a friend checked her car and said a tracker had been put on her car and a listening device was in the footwell. The friend challenged the defendant, and he admitted it and said it was needed so he could carry out a risk analysis so he could know if she was high risk.
“When she arranged for it to be removed, she was told it was installed so badly her car was dangerous”
The court heard that in January 2023, the woman went on holiday to Mexico to “get away” from Minnock, who made enquiries to hire a “private investigator” to follow her. The prosecutor said: “A mutual friend said she had seen a receipt of £4,500 for the investigator. He said he asked for a refund as he couldn’t afford it.
The full article can be accessed at:
https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/leeds-property-director-cheated-pregnant-32449896
Posted by: Ian (D. Withers)
www.WAPI.org