South Yorkshire stalking victim fears same fate as Gracie Spinks
A woman who says she is being stalked by a former partner has told ITV News that she has "accepted my fate" amid concerns police have failed to take the case seriously.
Linda – not her real name – says the man follows her and harasses her "because he knows he can get away with it".
She told ITV News she had repeatedly reported her stalker to South Yorkshire Police. He has breached a restraining order multiple times.
Linda believes she could suffer the same fate as Gracie Spinks, who was killed by a former colleague months after she reported him for stalking.
She said: "I will end up at some point being one of these stories. It's not a case of if, it's when. I've got to the point that I know it's going to happen.
"I think I've accepted it, I've accepted what my fate will be."
Linda, who is being supported by the stalking charity Paladin, said her partner had been abusive during their relationship and continued to cause problems after they broke up.
She said: "He hangs in the area where we live. He knows certain days and times when we go to different places. He knows where I'm going to be and what time. But because he knows he can get away with it he does it.
"It makes you not want to leave the house, you live on the edge all the time."
Attempts by Paladin to secure a Stalking Protection Order have been unsuccessful.
In an email seen by Calendar, South Yorkshire Police acknowledged that the man's breaches of his restraining order "have been many" but further orders would be hard to secure.
What happened to Gracie Spinks?
Gracie Spinks, 23, was attacked by 35-year-old former colleague Michael Sellers as she tended her horse in Duckmanton, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on 18 June 2021.
Sellers later took his own life.
An inquest heard how the pair had worked together at an e-commerce company.
He had a history of harassing women and became increasingly obsessed with her.
Miss Spinks reported Sellers to Derbyshire Constabulary for stalking in January of 2021 after he was seen loitering near her horse's stables, but officers graded him as low-risk.
She died after he stabbed her 10 times.
The inquest jury returned a conclusion of unlawful killing.
Derbyshire Constabulary admitted multiple failings in the case and Miss Spinks' parents have called for police forces to take the issue of stalking more seriously.
South Yorkshire Police's stalking lead Det Ch Insp Helen Lewis said she was "saddened to hear this victim feels let down by the criminal justice system".
She added: "We recognise the tremendous impact being a repeat victim of stalking can have, and as a force, we will do all we can within the powers available to police to bring stalking perpetrators in front of the courts.
"As part of our commitment, we work closely with partners across the rest of the criminal justice system, including the Crown Prosecution Service, to seek justice for victims. We also work closely with local authority partners and accredited charities to ensure victims have access to the support they need.
She urged other victims to come forward, adding: "Your reports will be taken seriously and investigated."
'He let himself in and took photographs of me asleep'
Another survivor, Louise Riley, said she had been unsupported by West Yorkshire Police when she was stalked by her ex-partner.
She said he refused to accept their break-up and continued to bombard her with messages professing his love for her.
"He never stopped," she said. "He was relentless and then he found out where we lived.
"He would come on a night time and rev his engine really loud. That was his way of telling me 'I'm here, I know where you are'.
"He was coming into my house – he had keys cut. He was letting himself into my house and taking photographs of me when I was asleep."
Despite moving house three times, she said he found her each time.
"He threatened to burn the house down with me and the children in it," she said.
She continued to live in fear for five years until the man died three years ago.
Louise said she endure the emotional torment, unprotected by West Yorkshire police.
"I had to do everything to protect myself cos they weren't doing anything," she said.
"It was me that had to move, change registration plate because if I hadn't... he'd have got me."
In a statement West Yorkshire Police said it had invested in a dedicated Stalking Coordination Unit in the last year, to identify cases early, advise officers in high-risk cases, offer victims specialist support and increase the use of Stalking Protection Orders.
It said: "The introduction of this unit is having a positive impact on the quality of investigations, improving outcomes and ensuring the force are more proactive in considering Stalking Protection Orders to robustly manage offenders.
"The force takes all reports of stalking seriously, ensuring that they are investigated by appropriately trained staff. We work closely with specialist stalking support services, both locally and nationally to ensure that victims receive the best possible support through the criminal justice system, highlighting the commitment to continued multi-agency approach to tackling stalking."
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.