Child stalker is first to get order to stop
THE first stalking prevention order against a child in the UK has been secured by police in Greater Manchester.
The teenage girl subjected a family in Heywood, to more than a year of terrifying harassment and threats.
Police say she “disrupted this family’s daily life, causing them significant distress”.
She now could face jail if she breaches the two-year order, which was issued after extensive inquiries by a Police Community Support Officer.
Typically, SPOS have been used in domestic abuse cases involving adults.
But the Heywood case was so serious and prolonged it was considered appropriate to use one against the teenager.
Police say stalking is often a pre-cursor to even more serious crimes and can leave a long-lasting impact on victims.
The teenager, who now has a full two-year SPO, subjected a local family to a prolonged period of harassment and threats.
She disrupted this family’s daily life, causing them significant distress.
In a staement GMP said: “Our local neighbourhood team worked tirelessly to gather evidence related to the family’s disclosures, allowing us to apply for an interim order in January this year.
This has been subsequently upgraded to a full order due to the teenager breaching the conditions originally issued.”
PCSO Jenny George, who led the action, said: “Getting a positive outcome for this family after what they have suffered has been extremely rewarding. These kinds of results keep me going.
“Securing this full order has now safeguarded a vulnerable family from further harm at the hands of this individual.
“It is a testament to all the work we put in gathering the evidence over several months.
“The victims were truly at the heart of everything we have done.
“Civil orders can be a suitable alternative for securing justice for victims of offences such as stalking.
“Our team are keen to make use of them, where appropriate.
“It all feeds into the problem-solving approach we take, to ensure those in our local communities are not being repeatedly victimised.
“With SPOS, we can request prohibitions and requirements to protect the victims, but importantly, they also give the offender access to intervention and education programmes, aimed at stopping that behaviour from repeating.
“It’s important to remember that this perpetrator is still a child and although that doesn’t lessen the seriousness of the offences, the order and interventions offered will hopefully give them a chance to turn their life around before they reach adulthood.
“We would encourage anyone who thinks they are being stalked to report it to police straightaway.
“If you are in immediate danger, call 999, otherwise you can report online or call 101.
“If you are not ready to speak to police, please reach out for support from the National Stalking Helpline: National Stalking Helpline | Suzy Lamplugh Trust