Mum reveals her years of terror at hands of stalker

‘It doesn’t feel like anything is being done to stop this guy’

A MOTHER-of-two has spoken of the campaign of harassment she has suffered from a stalker who has been terrorising women in south Manchester.

The man has been targeting properties off Upper Chorlton Road, Whalley Range, for several years and his behaviour has escalated.

One victim, who lives alone with her children, told the Manchester Evening News she has been left in a state of ‘constant paranoia’ by the stalker, who a number of other women have complained about.

Approached by the M.E.N, Greater Manchester Police confirmed no arrests had been made in the case because of ‘very limited evidence,’ but said they were ‘fully aware’ of the problem and have stepped up high visibility patrols in the area.

The single mum, who has asked to remain anonymous, has been targeted by the stalker since she moved into a ground floor flat in Whalley Range in 2017.

The prowler knocks on her bedroom window in the early hours of the morning, moves her bin so he can climb up to look into her bathroom, and has been spotted hiding in bushes.

The victim says she has reported her stalker to Greater Manchester Police on a number of occasions, but has been told there isn’t sufficient evidence to arrest him.

She also claims she was told by one police officer that unless her stalker attacked her, it is unlikely they would be able to arrest him.

He is described as being in his 50s, around 5ft 9in height, with a bald head on top and short grey hair at the sides.

“It started as soon as I moved in,” she said. “I live in a ground floor apartment and it’s a big block of flats with a big community green space with lots of bushes.

“Other female neighbours told me about him when I moved in. Then I noticed my bins started moving to underneath my bathroom window which I believe he did so that he could look in.

“I saw him a few times and he looks very unassuming so I wondered maybe if I was imagining things.”

With time, the man’s behaviour has become more persistent, brazen and frightening.

“He began to knock on the windows at night time or would ring the doorbell,” the mum said. “My intercom doesn’t work so every time a person rings I have to go down and look through the front door. Every time I go down there is nobody there.”

The woman, who says she has reported her stalker to GMP every time she sees him, or believes he might have visited her flat, is disappointed with the lack of progress made in catching him.

“Their (GMP’s) reaction just seems to be a bit reactive,” she said. “They once put a surveillance van outside one night and when I asked if they’d managed to take a picture of him said it didn’t have cameras and that it was just a deterrent.

“Nobody has any physical evidence of him being there so it is just word of mouth from the women who live here. It doesn’t feel like anything is being done is going to stop this guy.”

The mum also said she is upset by the reaction from some of her neighbours, who she claims get ‘defensive’ if she asks them to report him to the police.

“I don’t expect anyone to put themselves in danger but when I ask people to take a picture of him or report him they get really defensive and say they don’t see why they should.

“If there is a problem with a bin collection everyone is on it but if there is a threat to one of the residents they all just back away.” The mum says she feels ‘constantly terrified’ and keeps her blinds and windows closed permanently, even in the summer, out of fear. “I feel like I am getting this paranoia and nobody checks in to see who I am apart from the other victims,” she said. “You just feel like you’ve been ignored for so long that you start to doubt yourself. It has really taken its toll on my mental health.

“I was walking down the street recently and spoke to the community officer who was assigned following our reports. He said nobody had reported it for a while so they had assumed he had decided to leave us alone.

“That just doesn’t happen with men like this. They don’t just stop.”

Inspector John Picton of GMP’s City of Manchester division, said: “Unfortunately due to very limited evidence no arrests have been made in connection with these reports. However officers are fully aware of the issues and a problem solving record has been created to help solve the issues.

“All reports made in relation to this are being investigated as a whole rather than individually.

“We understand the concern and worry that these events have created for the community and high visibility patrols have been increased in the area and response patrols, which operate 24/7 in the area, have been made aware of the problem and asked to pay particular attention to the specific location.

“A local PCSO has spoken to the woman to offer reassurance and support and he has also offered crime advice and is in the process of obtaining crime prevention equipment to improve the security of the building.”

You just feel like you’ve been ignored for so long that you start to doubt yourself

Stalker victim