Woman jailed for fourth time for harassing and bombarding childhood best friend in Liverpool

A woman jailed three times for harassing her childhood best friend resumed her campaign of bombardment immediately after being released from prison.

Keelie Murphy immediately began obsessively pestering Gemma Ellison, calling her workplace constantly causing the family business to grind to a halt.

Murphy had previously been locked up three times for harassment, and flouting restraining orders.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the pair had been friends since the age of 10 but the relationship "soured" after Murphy, from Woolton, "developed an infatuation" with Ms Ellison.

The two had not spoken for many years, but got back in touch during 2017.

But in 2020, the 36-year-old was convicted of harassment and handed a restraining order barring her from contacting Ms Ellison, or attending her Widnes-based company for five years.

But, just months later, Murphy was jailed for 12 weeks after breaching the order five times - including phoning Ms Ellison more than 200 times over three days in July 2020 alone.

In January 2021, she was handed 10 weeks for another breach.

Once released from prison in 2021, the court heard Murphy ignored the order a further five times.

She made contact which flitted from "expressions of love and romance to threats of violence and abuse".

She told the Ms Ellison, a mother-of-three, she was going to "take the consequences into her own hands" and warned "watch what happens".

After being handed another two years behind bard in September 2021, she was released in December only to be recalled on licence in April.

As soon as she was freed on 29 April, she "immediately started contacting her [Ms Ellison] again at her place of work".

The business began receiving a string of phone calls from withheld numbers, persisting from opening time at 9am until the end of the work day - leaving the line jammed and customers unable to get through.

Ms Ellison would recognise her harasser's voice on answering and hang up without speaking to her.

Murphy also exhibited "troubling behaviour" during her "relentless attempts to speak to Ms Ellison", where she would "talk about her children and relationship".

Appearing via video link to HMP Styal, she was heard to say "that's a lie" as this was said in court.

The police advised Ms Ellison to record the barrage of calls, and in one, on 26 May, Murphy told her "she had ruined her life" and called her "derogatory names", including a "d******d".

A statement read out to the court on Ms Ellison's behalf said: "I get constant migraines after a day of her ringing.

"I go home to the kids feeling sad and deflated. She turns horrible so quickly if you tell her to stop ringing. I wonder what it will take her to stop.

"It's be going on for years and years now. It's having a huge effect on me and the business. Every time Keelie is let out of prison, she starts back up immediately on her release. Keelie would not just call up once, she would call from the minute we open up until we close.

"It's caused me nothing but stress and anxiety. I constantly think about what's next. It makes me feel mentally drained when all I want to do is come to work and run my business."

Murphy, who is a carer for her mum, has five previous convictions for 15 offences. All but one of these are related to Ms Ellison, the other being for drunk and disorderly behaviour and assaulting an emergency services worker in 2008.

Stuart Nolan, defending, said: "It's a very distressing case. One can only feel for the victim in this matter. There are serious mental health issues here. At the root of all this is this woman's obsession, which seems to have become troubling to society when she's in drink and drugs.

"She has an appalling record, but only for this sort of behaviour. There are deep seated problems here which, unless addressed, look like they're going to continue.

"She does regret her behaviour, it just seems she is not able to control it when in drink and drugs - a combination which is explosive. I fear for her in the future."

Murphy admitted harassment and was jailed for 30 months. The restraining order was also extended indefinitely, while she was told to pay a victim surcharge.

Sentencing, Recorder Tim Harrington said: "Previous sentences, whether they be suspended sentences or prison sentences, have not deterred you.

"You were on licence and knew you were prohibited from contacting her, yet you persisted.

"This was a very serious and persistent breach, and it did cause serious distress. This was part of a persistent pattern of conduct.

"It's up to you. If you do what the order says you must do, you won't get into trouble again.

"If you breach that order, you will undoubtedly be prosecuted again and the sentences are just going to get longer and longer."

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