ARTIST STALKED NUDE MODEL FOR 13 YEARS

TOP: Catherine Mitchell ABOVE: Kershaw A RENOWNED artist who stalked a life model for 13 years has been banned by a court from contacting her for life.

Walter Kershaw, 78, who has appeared on BBC TV and radio shows, was arrested after he repeatedly hounded Catherine Mitchell after the break-up of their 12-month affair, which began in 2006 when she asked him to paint her portrait.

During his ‘predatory’ stalking campaign, twice-married Kershaw pursued his ex-lover around their hometown, waiting outside a church and following her around the aisles of a supermarket telling her she was beautiful.

He sent her love letters and romantic cards and would drive slowly past her home blowing kisses at her.

He also gave a head and shoulders oil portrait of Miss Mitchell pride of place in the front window of his art gallery in Littleborough, near Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

Miss Mitchell would take taxis to avoid him and even trudged across muddy fields at the back of her home so she would not encounter him outside her home.

In 2013, Kershaw was ordered to keep away from Miss Mitchell under the terms of a restraining order.

He was even banned from displaying a photo, painting, sketch drawing or any image of the victim.

But he repeatedly continued harassing Miss Mitchell and was arrested again after he spotted the victim, now 48, near a park on NUDE: An early work of Walter Kershaw Christmas Eve last year.

During the incident, he repeatedly told Miss Mitchell “I adore you” – forcing her and her mother to flee in a taxi.

Kershaw admitted three breaches of a restraining order at Manchester magistrates court and was banned from contacting Miss Mitchell indefinitely.

He was sentenced to 20 weeks jail suspended for a year and was ordered to complete 100 hours unpaid work.