Stalker said victim was ‘childhood sweetheart’
A WOMAN was terrified to leave the house after she was stalked by a former classmate who believed they were ‘childhood sweethearts.’
Danielle McGowan, 24, had known Daniel Owen for five years when they were at school together.
But unbeknown to her, he wrongly believed they were childhood sweethearts and after they finished their GCSEs in 2012 he began brooding over their ‘split.’
Last year, over a four-month period, Owen followed Miss McGowan, an office administrator, around a supermarket, posted what items she was buying on social media and mailed groceries through her front door.
He would also loiter outside her home and posted selfies showing the victim’s street in the background.
Owen, from Shaw, Oldham, was later arrested after Miss McGowan reported him to police saying she was too scared to go outside her home unless accompanied by her mother.
She said: “I am feeling a lot better now but I’ve only recently started to feel better. At the time I felt scared whenever I left my house. He has thrown things at me and shouted at me and he seemed to go everywhere I went because he kept on turning up.”
At Tameside magistrates court, jobless Owen, 24, admitted stalking without fear between April and August last year and was banned from contacting Miss McGowan for two years under the terms of a restraining order.
Prosecutor Shazia Aslam said: “The complainant in this case knew the defendant from school.
“She was at school with him for about five years and they left in 2012 – but she was never in a relationship with him.”
She added: “’They spoke in school from time to time when they were between 14 and 16-years-old. After she reported matters to police the defendant was interviewed and arrested. He admitted what he did when interviewed. He accepts he followed her Instagram and took a picture outside her home address.
“He said he was angry with her for ending their relationship eight years ago. She denies they were ever in a relationship.’’
Lina Tsui-Cheung, defending, said: “He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. The pre-sentence report clearly outlined his mental health difficulties. He is not currently in work and is claiming Universal Credit.’’
Owen was also made subject of a sixmonth community order and will have to abide by a six-week curfew from 9pm to 7am. He was also ordered to pay £170 in costs and surcharges.