A WOMAN has been arrested for stalking reality star Joey Essex and threatening to “shoot the s**t” out of his former girlfriend.

The pest, in her 30s, allegedly sent Joey more than 100,000 messages.

Joey Essex at an Iconic Bronze event.
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A woman has been arrested for stalking Joey EssexCredit: Dan Charity

Couple holding hands by a pool.
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The stalker also threatened Joey’s ex Jessy PottsCredit: Eroteme
They were said to include sinister warnings about Jessy Potts, who was branded a “fat slag” and a “bitch”.

Cheshire police seized electronic devices including a mobile phone and laptop from the woman, who is from the Stockport area.

She has now been bailed under strict conditions not to contact Joey and his family or travel to London and Essex.

A source close to Joey, 34, said he was “relieved” the twisted fan had been found.

We told last August how the Baby Reindeer-style stalker sent him private messages and left hundreds of notes under his social media posts.

They include the rant “just call me annoying again that’s what you get, your insecure in yourself”.

She also wrote the comments “sort your own insecurity out” and “find your own friends”.

Worried Joey took the decision to report the stalker to police in August when the messages grew more menacing, particularly towards Jessy, who he dated for two months after they met on ITV show Love Island.

At the time, he told The Sun: “We have had to take the decision to report the stalker to the police because the messages have started to become more threatening. I love my fans and want to be able to talk to them online but there has to be a line somewhere and sadly this is it.”

A source said: “Joey loves his fans and being able to engage with them online, so is used to receiving messages.

“Of course they’re not always nice and he does get trolled, but after being in the public eye for so many years, he’s got used to dealing with that side of it.

“But when he was in the Love Island villa, his team noticed a real uptick in messages from one user in particular, which grew increasingly frightening with some targeted, physical threats and it became cause for concern.

“Joey is relieved the woman has been found and grateful to Cheshire Constabulary.”

Joey found fame on The Only Way Is Essex and has gone on to become a global reality star, most recently appearing on Netflix hit Selling Sunset.

He and Jessy split in September, with both blaming their busy schedules.

Netflix drama Baby Reindeer is based on what is said to be the true story of creator Richard Gadd’s experience with a stalker.

Actress Jessica Gunning plays the woman, called Martha, in the hit series.

Joey Essex and Jessy Potts at the National Television Awards.
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The internet pest threatened to ‘shoot the s**t’ out of Joey’s former girlfriendCredit: Getty

Jessy Potts in a white cut-out dress.
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Joey dated Jessy for two months after they met on TV show Love IslandCredit: Instagram

Jessica Gunning as Martha in a scene from a Netflix show.
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Martha the stalker from Netflix series Baby ReindeerCredit: Netflix