Thirty Sussex stalkers to take part in new pilot scheme

It is part of a new pilot scheme in Sussex set up to identify and target specific stalkers for psychological therapy.

Participants will take part in twelve, intensive one-to-one sessions where their case will be forensically dissected to stop further offending.

The aim is for the stalkers to improve their ability to manage their behaviour during periods of emotional crisis, the force claimed.

It comes as the number of crimes involving stalking recorded by Sussex Police reached 2661 last year.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne, said: "Not that long ago, stalking was a somewhat misunderstood crime in Sussex and arguably still is in many parts of the country.

Katy Bourne

“I’m pleased with how far we have come in Sussex in better protecting victims of this crime, working hard to prosecute offenders where possible and now, finding innovative ways to stop their fixated and unwanted behaviours completely.

“I successfully bid for and secured this funding so that we could bring together experts that understood the deep-rooted, psychological obsession stalkers have with their victims and who could analyse this and address the reasons why they do what they do.

“Today, we are finally taking steps to identify and tackle the root causes of stalking behaviours, filling the gaps in our response to these heinous crimes.”

In November last year, PCC Katy Bourne was awarded £98,000 in Home Office funding specifically for stalking intervention and evaluation, as part of an overall package of interventions on domestic abuse.

The project will focus on people in Sussex who have been given court-ordered Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) and each person given an SPO will be considered as a potential candidate for project.

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Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) were introduced nationally in January 2020.

Sussex secured 29 SPOs in the first 12 months, with a further seven awaiting court hearings.

Police, in partnership with stalking advocacy service Veritas Justice, will work with the victims where their perpetrators are engaged in the programme, to ensure their needs are being met throughout and that they are properly safeguarded.

Louise and Sarah (names changed for anonymity) both live in Sussex and were referred to Veritas Justice in January 2020 after being stalked by the same stranger simultaneously in 2019.

Convincing himself that he was in a relationship with both women, their stalker followed them everywhere, sent gifts, turned up at their home and displayed threatening behaviour.

He was arrested, charged and convicted of stalking both victims.

He was sentenced to 19 weeks custodial sentence for Louise’s case and 18 weeks for Sarah’s.

He was released on licence and is currently supervised by probation to whom he has disclosed that he believes that he is in a relationship with Louise and in love with her.

He has not breached his licence conditions yet but both victims are fearful that he will.

Louise supports the new intervention programme and said: “This is good news for victims of stalking, I believe that there is something wrong within the current mechanisms for dealing with a stalker such that jail sentences do not stop the behaviours.

"They may ease off initially, only to repeat their actions with the same victim or transfer their obsession to another person, where the police reporting process starts all over again with an unknown lead period.

"They need help so as to protect us. I don't believe it can fully stop any other way, despite the very good support and reactive Police."