A Brixton man tracked down his former girlfriend using Snapchat and physically assaulted her, a court heard.

Travell Lapidge, 23, of New Park Road, found his former girlfriend via Snap Map, a feature on the popular social media app Snapchat.

Snap Map allows users to track their friend’s location based on their activity on the app and to see who they are with at the time.

The defendant saw the former girlfriend with another man when he was using the app on May 21, 2019, according to the prosecution.

He then tracked her down to Brixton Road and attacked her. The victim suffered a “large bruise to her right cheek”, said the prosecutors. 

A week before the attack, the unnamed victim called the police because Lapidge was banging on the door and shouting threateningly outside her home. He left when the police arrived.

Lapidge was arrested and charged with physical assault and disorderly behaviour causing alarm and distress after the attack.

He pleaded guilty to the physical assault charge at Camberwell Magistrates’ Court on November 11, 2019.

The disorderly behaviour causing alarm and distress charge was abandoned by the prosecution who decided there was insufficient evidence to support it.  

The prosecution also argued that due to the nature of the crime committed there was “no guarantee of a sentence”.

Because of Lapidge’s willingness to assist with the prosecution, District Judge Jacobs quickly adjourned the case for trial at a later date in November.

District Judge Jacobs told Lapidge: “I’m not going to sentence you today. I will have your case passed onto the probation service.”

He later told South London Lines he was “surprised” that Lapidge pleaded guilty so early on.