OBSESSED TRUCKER STALKED MUM
TERRIFIED VICTIM DIDN’T LEAVE HOME FOR THREE WEEKS
A TERRIFIED mum-of-three had to confine herself to her home for three weeks after she was stalked by an obsessed admirer who bumped into her at a family funeral.
A court was told that the woman was too frightened to go to work or do the school run after besotted trucker Brian Kirby repeatedly turned up unannounced at her home, her workplace and even her elderly grandmother’s address.
Divorcee Kirby, 52, who lives alone, would repeatedly drive past his victim’s home and appeared to be keeping her under surveillance after he became obsessed with her.
On one occasion, the woman who is in her 30s returned home from a trip to a public park to find a message from Kirby said: “I didn’t see you playing happy families in the park.”
He also messaged the victim’s eldest son saying: “xxxxxx doesn’t know me at all – I’m never going to hurt you or the kids.’”
As a result of the harassment, his victim – a shopping centre worker who already suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following an unrelated incident – spent three weeks holed up in her Salford home before going to police.
In a statement she said: “It feels like he’s watching me and my family. I have ongoing medical issues as a consequence of a previous life changing event and his treatment towards me has exacerbated my mental health.
“My house should be her safe place from the risk of the world but because of him I can’t take my children to school and I’m constantly looking over her shoulder. My dad now takes the children.
“I’ve been off work for some time as I was concerned about him going there and at the time of going to the police I hadn’t left my home for nearly three weeks. I just want to get on with my life, a normal life and not have to look over my shoulder.’
At Manchester magistrates court, Kirby, of Little Hulton, Salford, admitted harassment between August and September this year and was banned from contacting the woman for two years under the terms of a restraining order.
The incidents began after Kirby met the woman at a funeral of one of her family.
Joanne Moore, prosecuting, told the court that Kirby’s ex-wife had been friends with this victim – and when Kirby and his wife split up, he and the other woman didn’t see each other for five years.
She said: “It’s not entirely certain whether the defendant thought that he and the victim could have a relationship but what is certain is that was not what she wanted.
“He was simply her friend’s ex-husband. But the defendant started to attend her home address and left flowers, cards. She told him: ‘I need space’ but he took offence to that and sent nasty messages and comments about some photos of hers.
“She blocked him as she didn’t want him commenting on the photos but sent her further abusive messages as to why she had stopped him from seeing her photographs. He said: ‘F*** you I can put up with your weird games.’ He drove past where she lives and attended the place where she works and has been to her grandmother’s address.”
She said there seemed to nowhere that she felt safe’ and added: “His actions towards her were always unwelcome and she just wants to always know that the children’s are safe and where they are.’’
Kirby was also sentenced to a 12-month community order and ordered to complete 40 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £175 in costs and surcharges.
John Wright, defending, said: “He had known her children since they were born and he’s an old, long-standing family friend. It seems they reconciled the friendship after five years and he did have some feelings for her.
“But as it turns out he had too many feelings for her and he accepts that now and that some of the contact was unwanted and clearly he got the wrong message.
“She initially reciprocated the contact and was messaging him but he overstepped the mark a little bit and took it the wrong way.
“He didn’t realise at the time what he was doing amounted to harassment. He’s extremely upset for the way it’s been taken and he doesn’t want to contact her if that’s how it’s making her feel.
“He is quite upset about the whole incident but accepts that she’s upset and that she’s suffered upset to it. Her PTSD may have been exacerbated by what’s happened here. There is no reason to suggest he’s going to harm anybody at all.’’
There is no reason to suggest he’s going to harm anybody at all John Wright, defending